


I: Enigma

by Red Centurion (RedCenturionG)



Series: For A Better Tomorrow [1]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Adventure, Alliance, Citadel Council, Eden Prime War, F/M, Future segments, Geth, ME1 Cerberus, ME1 Eclipse, Reapers, Romance, Talimance, Violence, plot heavy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2019-04-14 18:55:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 107,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14142417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedCenturionG/pseuds/Red%20Centurion
Summary: Seventy years prior to current events, the ultimate fight for galactic survival ensued. Follow the story of Marcus L. Shepard, Tali'Zorah nar Rayya and Garrus Vakarian as they come to meet and fight forces thought only existent in nightmares. But there is more to the story. Something else is going on behind the scenes...Work was originally published between January 25, 2013 and May 13, 2013





	1. Pre-Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A tale is retold.

**ENIGMA**  
**THE BEGINNING BEFORE THE BEGINNING**

 _December 16, 2250_  
_1305 hours._  
_SSV Normandy SR-2 Exhibit, History of Earth and the Colonies Museum, Kikowani Ward, The Citadel._

  
"However kids, this is not the full story of the man I knew as Marcus Lee Shepard. No, that was only the small snippet of what I had to tell you. You see, I was there myself. I was on his squad," he finished with a slight grin, his mandibles switching ever so slightly. The human children looked at him ever so curiously, some with their eyebrows up high, the others with confused expressions, and others who just held blank stares, their emotions bottled up so no one could see their expressions. He simply shrugged it off: it didn't matter to him, he was here to teach. And teach he would.

  
Finally, as if hours later, one human finally raised his hand, his posture screaming for attention. His mandibles creased into a weary smile and he pointed towards the child, his hand still hanging in the air, "Yes, Jason, what is your question?"

  
The child named Jason finally let his hand fall, his posture relaxing, "If there is more to tell about The Shepard, then why don't you tell us?"

  
He tried to laugh, but the strangled sound that came out was only a sore reminder of how old he was, how close to death he was coming. _Is that truly what they call him now? 'The Shepard'? If he were alive, he'd laugh._

  
He had lived a long life, traveled the galaxy with the human he called a brother, and fought enemies many would cower from. Hell, he saved the galaxy...what was it? Seventy years ago to the day. The man was no longer full of youth, no longer in his prime, he had fought, done his duty, and now he had to give it up so he may die in peace. He was content with his fate, spirits, he deserved the rest more than anyone, as he had fought armies that many thought only existed in nightmares; hordes of emotionless machines, drones of twisted hybrids and to top it off; a race of sentient starships hellbent on galactic harvest. As for the conflicts that followed...

  
Yeah, if anyone deserved a rest, it was the man standing right before them. That name however: that always took him by surprise, despite the fact he'd heard it constantly over the years. All the kids knew him as 'The Shepard' as if he was some kind of messiah, as Shepard called them, or God. Shepard was a tough son of a bitch, a bit of a stubborn idiot, and he had been close to bulletproof in status, but in no way was he a deity.

  
"Well, there are probably a lot of things that your parents taught you about Shepard that aren't necessarily the full story. No, you see the Coalition tells you all the good stuff: the propaganda, the deeds, the actions...but I was there, I served with the man, and I'm telling you, there was more to him than meets the eyes. You may know all the basics; he cured the 2,000 year old genophage virus, he gave the quarians back their homeworld, he retook Earth from those sentient bas-" he was about to continue when he caught the glare of a woman nearby, the quarian fixing him with a glare that told him to watch is language. Nodding, he amended his words. The words that came out made him want to laugh, "..synthetic bosh'tets. They tell you all the good stuff, but they never told you what happened behind the scenes."

  
The kids looked between each other quizzically, giving each other puzzled looks. He winked at the quarian teacher nearby, and she rolled her eyes as her mouth twitched upwards in a grin. Another kid, a young girl, Patricia Deltarans, rose her hand, but her body didn't dance in curiosity, instead it was a posture worthy of a professional reporter, as if she had gone through years of training just for this moment. He nodded towards the girl, and she didn't wait for him to approve her question before she spoke with exuberance, "What's your name mister? And what happened behind the scenes?"

  
Another voice answered; a cool, raspy but exotic voice, the accent so recognizable to him, it wasn't even funny. The smile dropped from the turians's face as he identified its owner, frown creasing his mandibles as he realized the voice was coming from behind him.

  
"Garrus Vakarian, ex-turian cop, vigilante, known by many as Archangel, ex-Primarch of Palaven, ex-Council Spectre, and finally...the bosh'tet turian I have come to know as a big brother and my _Meka'lish_." Garrus turned behind him to see the slim and petite form of his quarian friend enter from the back, her long, thin arms and purple skin dangling at her sides, slim purple legs forwarding the quarian on a beeline for the group, three toes flexing at each step.

  
She wore traditional quarian attire, a long _fillas_ wrapped around her torso and upper legs like a scarf around the neck, the color that of the dark brown bark of human trees with a milky white outline. Her deceptively large, but well concealed, breasts were easily concealed by the fillas, and her arched back moved so fluidly, it was almost dazling. Her face however, that was her most striking feature, one that had barely changed throughout her old age. As one particular old relic once said, quarian beauty was unmatched, hence why the quarian's Latin name was _Perfectus Decore_ : perfect beauty. No one would ever have guessed, but the quarians were so similar to humans in appearance it was uncanny.

  
Three fingered hands, arched back and legs and three toed feet aside, quarians were almost exactly like humans. Her eyes glowed with a luminescent silvery glow, a glow that could easily have been mistaken for a blue light, but the light was so warm it was comforting. Her lips were a parched red, a testament to the once rose red color it had once held.

Her hair was long and a jet black color, her hair streaking in long strands just past her shoulders and ending just below her breasts. The hair showed streaks of grey, the once young and vibrant quarian showing signs of entering her twilight years. Her ears were exactly like human ears but slightly pointed at the tip, with two lines, almost like tattoos but natural, one on the left and the other on the right, curved from the side of her forehead and ended just above her eyebrows. Two more of the lines, not curved however, came from below her chin and ended below her mouth.

  
Her once smooth purple skin was now wrinkled with age, her freckles however still stood out like dots on a white chart. Every bit of her body once echoed with feminine beauty, but was now withering with age. Many men would have fallen for such beauty, but only one man had taken her seriously, only one had fallen in love with her and caught her attention.

  
"Spirits...is that you Tali?" Garrus asked, still shocked by the quarian's sudden appearance. He hadn't seen her in what felt like...decades. What was she doing there? Last he heard, she had been leaving in solitude on Rannoch ever since the Post-Apocalyptic War. She was single, with no mate to speak of. The only mate she did have had passed away long ago. Tali giggled.

  
"Tali'Shepard pav Rannoch, to be precise. And yes, you bosh'tet. Do you know any other quarian who would call you brother?" she teased. Apparently her sense of humour hadn't aged with her.

  
"Point taken," the turian returned, glad that Tali's spirit wasn't entirely broken.

  
The young quarian turned towards the group of excited children, excited because they were meeting another member of Shepard's crew, and excited because they were about to learn more about the deceased hero. Tali turned to Garrus, as if awaiting his permission to tell them all about Shepard's life, about how they fought side by side, and how they faced down the deadliest threat the galaxy has ever known.

  
Garrus gave a simple nod, although he didn't hide the concern he did in his eyes. What they were about to divulge...it was a well healed wound. It had been sealed seventy years ago...and he wasn't sure Tali could handle it. But his quarian friend seemed to hold no such qualms.

  
"Many know him as Spectre Shepard, The Shepard, Hero of the Citadel, Bane of the Reapers, Destroyer of the Collectors, Benefactor of the Council, Posterboy of the Alliance, Protector of the Geth, and of course, a crazy bosh'tet who saved those in need and commanded the smallest but most advanced warship of the decade. But we knew him for what lay underneath his invincible mask, we knew him for what he really was; he was organic just like the rest of us. He was what you humans call, 'just human.' He felt pain, anger, sadness, distress...and love. He knew all of these values that your people hold so dear, that most organics hold dear. He wasn't just a machine, he wasn't some superhero. He was one of us, and only we know the full story. Those and all those that served alongside him. So, do you want to hear a story kids?"

  
The kids began to quiver, like a wreathing swarm of bees they converged and assembled each other like rookies in basic, just not as organized, not as disciplined. Finally they stopped as they looked at the quarian expectingly. She felt tears well up in her eyes, but only one managed to break out, to streak down her cheek, decades worth of melancholy travelling with it as it fell off her cheek and onto the cold, tiled floor.

  
She wanted to cry at the memories, of how he was gone. Garrus' comforting talon landed on her hand, squeezing as the turian gave her a comforting and reassuring look. She managed a weak, but eerily convincing smile as a second tear streaked past. She built up the strength to resist it, and she finally spoke, carrying as much strength as she could.

"This is the story of the man I loved."

  
**{FILE CORRUPTED. ATTEMPTING RECOVERY}**  
**{WARNING: FOLLOWING FILES COULD NOT BE RECOVERED. FILES HAVE BEEN SPLIT AND FORCED INTO COMPATIBLE FOLDERS}**  
**{NEW COMMAND ISSUED: ACCESS EARLIER FILES THAT CORRELATE WITH ORIGINAL FILE IN NUMERICAL ORDER. DO YOU ACCEPT?}**  
**{COMMAND ACCEPTED. SEARCH INITIATED. SEARCH COMPLETE. FIVE RESULTS}**  
**{SEARCH NARROWED WITH COMMAND 'ZORAH: ANDERSON: MEETING'. ONE RESULT FOUND}**  
**{ACCESSING FILE. FILE CREATOR: TALI'SHEPARD PAV RANNOCH. FILE DECRYPTING}**  
**{FILES MOVED INTO NEW FOLDER. PLEASE DESIGNATE NAME FOR FOLDER}**  
**{...ENIGMA}**  
**{FILE NAME ACCEPTED. OPENING FILE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO VIEW IN AUDIO, VIDEO, OR BOTH AUDIO AND VIDEO?}**  
**{AUDIO AND VIDEO ACCEPTED. ACCESSING FILE}**


	2. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A war hero is recruited. A pilgrimage begins.

**ENIGMA**  
**PROLOGUE**

  
_May 22, 2183_  
_2150 hours_  
_Systems Alliance Marine Corps Facility North Vancouver, Vancouver, United North American States, Earth._  
_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard._

  
It wasn't long before Marcus Shepard felt his clenched fist impact the bag once again, the impact reverbrating up his arm. Shepard didn't stop, he followed up with a second hurl, impacting the left side of the bag, and then another, and another, all with the same sense of satisfaction, of gain. Why Marcus Shepard felt that hitting a punching bag, a defenseless object, was a victory was beyond him, all he knew was that he enjoyed doing it, it strengthened him, made him feel like he was a soldier, and not some rookie they pulled off basic to fight a few batarians to earn a few medals.

  
Of course, Marcus' service record dispelled any doubt in him or his commanding officers, or in his new case of rank, his subordinates, that he wasn't worthy of the N7 armor he wore into combat. Hisintended sacrifice on Elysium, his actions on Torfan, his survival on Akuze...it was quite clear he had earned his rank and his N7 membership. In the end however, there were moments where he wondered whether it was earned. Like all those times were done by someone else and he had taken all the credit...but that wasn't true at all. _He_ was the one who held off 10,000 batarian slavers. _He_ was the one who had charged a batarian fortress while under heavy enemy fire. _He_ was the one who survived a thresher maw attack.

  
Time and time again the batarians had made it quite clear they had a huge grudge against humanity. Ever since humanity spread into the stars, the batarians had seen them as an afront to their way of life: an invading parasite. Every complaint was followed by attempts to wage war against the Alliance, and every time either the Council came to the rescue or the Alliance answered with brute military force: the Skyllian Blitz was the most recent of these, and again, the Hegemony had been soundly defeated. The batarians had cut all ties with the Council after the Skylilian Verge invasion, entering isolation. The four-eyed aliens were anything but a civilized people.

  
Their government ruled with an iron fist, their economy ran solely on slave running and piracy and their citizens weren't allowed contact with the outside galaxy. Their military was fragmented and operated independently of the other: just random splintered militias that didn't specialize in the defense of the Kite's Nest, but rather had their own agendas, of which were only superceded by that of the Supreme Regent himself. The batarians were a shattered people, but they weren't varren either. Batarians were jealous of humanity, that much was certain.

  
Humanity had evolved almost as fast as the asari had when they first discovered spaceflight and climbed into the reaches of space, and had spread almost poisonously, gaining a disapproving overview from the Council due to their nigh inexhaustible appetite for cosmic colonialism.

  
Shepard didn't feel proud of being the man who had slaughtered thousands of the batarian military's finest, but he certainly had no regrets. The batarians were sadistic to a point, and their slaver culture damned them to eternal disgust in Marcus' eyes, and what ever happened to their people was well deserved...aside from extinction. Shepard was humanity's champion by this point, and the batarians resented it.

  
He wasn't interested in being a celebrity, he was just a soldier doing his duty to protect humanity from all forms of aggression. His heavily built muscles flexed as he once again felt his fist impact the hard lined punching bag, but this time with such force it sent it flying loosely in the air before hitting his arms, which were now raised in a defensive block, both arms locked horizontally.

  
Unlocking his arms, he lowered them slowly as he took deep breaths of air as the bag continued swaying back and forth, slowing down. It didn't take long for Shepard to finally retire, his arms relaxing at his sides as he returned to the seating bench next to him, sitting down next to his duffel bag as he carefully removed his hand protection mitts. Sweat collected in beads over his forehead, the aftermath of his strenous excercise.

  
The room was of basic design but not of modern texture. The wooden floors streaked out in a dark orange color, the ceiling showing a single white rectangular light in the middle, bathing the room in white light. The walls were the only thing modern about the room, with dark grey steel lining all over the room's perimeter. The middle of the room was occupied by the single punching bag and two meters to the left of it was the very wooden bench he resided on, two pillars flanking the sides of it.

  
A single door sat on the right of the room, to his left, the second thing modern about the room, a sliding door with the button indicator glowing bright green. The room was ten by ten meters, serving as a gym of sorts. The Alliance military kept to the old adage of the UNAS military, one that society has a whole had adopted as their usual catchphrase: KISS. Keep It Simple, Stupid.

  
Marcus finished removing his mitts, unzipping his bag and placing the mitts inside. Checking his chrono he could see that the time was 2154 hours, 9:45 in 12-hour time, and decided he would hit the bunk early, wanting to get up early to see what assignment he had, if any. After all, his current position on Earth was due to an enforced furlough, Fleet Admiral Hackett having insisted he take a break. As he said, 'the Fifth Fleet can survive without you for a few days. Take a break, before I make it an order.' Well, nobody says no to Admiral Steven Hackett, the Alliance navy's rising star, so he did as he was told.

  
Still, he knew it wouldn't last: N7s were always on the move. Due to their rarity, which itself was a direct result of the physically demanding and ruthless training of the N7 program itself, N7s were kept for high risk operations and deployments that required the absolute best-of-the-best. N7s were one of the top special forces operatives in the entire galaxy, a fact the Alliance prided itself on.

  
Standing up, he took the duffel bag by the handle and began approaching the door only to hear the familiar whoosh of the door opening.

  
Turning to see who the visitors were, he saw three figures look at him. _Obviously here for me. New assignment briefing?_ The lead figure was one that was very familiar, wearing his standard alliance uniform of dark navy blue and the golden insignia of a captain on his right chest. His skin was a coffee brown in color, his hair short and cropped almost to the point of baldness, the color of a black raven.

  
His posture, the way he moved, showed that of a professional, one that had seen decades of combat. A true soldier. It demanded respect, reverence and subordinace. The second figure to his left, another human, wasn't quite as demanding of authority. His hair was also short and cropped, sharing the same black color, but he held a firm jawline with his face being closer to white than his superior, and his iris closer to a greenish color.

  
He wore the standard issue Alliance combat armor, the HYPERION-82, save the helmet. By the look of his armor type and the insignia emblazoned on his right shoulder, he was a Staff Lieutenant. The third figure caught him off guard: he stood to right of the second figure. A turian. His armor was a waterish blue in color, his reptillian face covered in the black and white face paint of the turian colony of Taetrus.

  
His face was elongated like a oval, with sharp, spine like appendages sticking out of the back like makeshift hair. Humanity and the turians had been on purely amicable terms since the First Contact War; first contact with an alien species hadn't been peaceful for the human race, and a brief war had broken out between them and the turians in 2157. Both sides had their reasons to hate the other, but the end result, for all intents and purposes, wasn't too bad. They weren't allies or friends, but they weren't enemies either. The Systems Alliance and Hierarchy of Palaven hadn't chosen to move on from that.

  
Marcus himself held no prejudice against the turians, as he held none towards any other species (except perhaps the batarians), so he was relatively friendly towards them. But not all of humanity were like him.

  
His eyes were small and aviary like the rest of his body, his posture was that of the man he followed; strong, powerful and a veteran. Marcus saw the familiar figure smile as his mouth also twitched upwards in a grin, Marcus holding out his hand. The figure took it, his smile remaining firm, "Shepard, you look like you've been training hard I see. Glad to see you haven't slacked off."

  
Shepard nodded at the man's words, finishing up the handshake by returning his hands to his sides and rearing up his right in a customary salute, "Captain Anderson."  
Anderson shook his head, chuckling as he returned the salute, "Saluting now? You know you don't have to salute me."

  
Shepard just shrugged. Captain Anderson, or David Edward Anderson as his full name went, wasn't just a decorated N7 veteran, but his mentor, and most of all, his friend. The man had fought in the First Contact War and executed numerous ground operations post-war, gaining him enough medals to meltdown and create a life-sized statue of himself. Marcus' hand relaxed and retired to his side as he spoke, Anderson's doing the same. "I leave formalities for those who deserve it sir. You're one of them, sir."  
Anderson shook his head, "Just remember not to let it get to your head. I don't need you of all people licking my boots."

  
Marcus smirked, "Who mentioned that? I'd like to think you're my teacher, an old man and just some guy I found high-up the ranks. I wouldn't kiss your boots even if Abraham Lincoln rose from the grave and asked me to do it." Shepard couldn't help but gain smug satisfaction when he noticed the turian cock his head in confusion. Satisfying for a few seconds at least to know something an alien doesn't. Knowledge monopoly and all that.

  
For the most part, the turian wasn't asking any questions, which meant he was either disinterested, or wasn't here to play chaperone. Disciplined turians weren't exactly a rarity, since their entire society was militaristic: military service was mandatory once they hit the age of 15, which meant almost every turian, at least the ones not shirking their duty, had military training of some description. War ran in the turian blood. It was a part of them, and they were proud of it. You encounter a turian; chances are they'll have basic or advanced military training, in both cases, never underestimate one. The Turian Hierarchy were the real military superpower of the galaxy, and essentially the galaxy's police and peacekeeping force.

Anderson smiled again, "Indeed."

  
The conversation lulled for a moment as Marcus' look glided over to Anderson's two attachees; the other human and turian. Anderson, seeming to notice this, immediately turned to the human on his left, "Commander Shepard, I'd like you to meet Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, Systems Alliance marines, 1st Shock Sentinels Brigade. He's a sentinel."

  
Marcus' eyes examined the man named Kaidan as he once again surveyed the man's firm jaw line, his professional parade rest position and of course, his weaponry. Marcus shook his combat instinct away as he examined him. His ability to assess a soldier's strengths and weaknesses was what made him such a successful operative; he was a strong judge of character, being able to tell if a man or woman could be trusted, if they were a liability or a valuable asset and more importantly; whether they were friend or foe.  
He could also quickly read over an enemy's features; armor type, weapon attachment, shield strength, weakpoints, speed and agility, class of speciality...

  
Many military service members adopted informal "class specialities" that were dictated by their combat style. Kaidan, for instance, was a Sentinel, which meant he utilized his biotic abilities in conjunction with his tech skills. Marcus was technically a Vanguard: good ol' basic combat skills, reinforced by a biotic powerbase. He knew in an instant that, as a Sentinel, Kaidan would be a dangerous adversary on the battlefield. He had both fought and served with sentinels in the past.

  
Finishing his examination, he held out his hand and watched as Kaidan took it, shaking it, "A pleasure to meet you, Staff Lieutenant Alenko." Kaidan appeared to return the nod that Marcus gave as their hands parted and he approached the turian.

  
"This Commander, is Nihlus Kryik, Special Tactics and Reconnaissance. He's a Spectre." Marcus raised a brow at Anderson, but it was the turian, Nihlus, who answered the unspoken question Nihlus held in his mind.

  
"I'm a member of the Special Tactics and Reconnissance branch of the Citadel Council. We operate above the law. We can do things most people would never get away with and we do it with the backing of the Council themselves. We are both respected and feared, and only the most responsible, occassionally ruthless, and brave men and women are chosen to become one. Of course, not everyone fears us, but we are a respected group, and the galaxy would be a much more dangerous place without us to prowl its circumference."

  
Marcus nodded in impression, obviously impressed by the turian spectre. He showed all the signs of a strong individual; powerful and intimidating stance, a calm, yet strong demeanour and a look that would have made less powerful individuals melt. Marcus held out his hand for Nihlus to shake, but the turian seemed to not notice or ignore it. Nihlus turned back to Anderson, his stoic stare remaining much the same. "Captain Anderson, I believe we've wasted enough time on the pleasantries. The Council has entrusted me with this task and we must see to it as soon as possible. Inform him of the reassignment."

  
Marcus looked back at Anderson, his hands moving back and gripping each other behind his back in a parade rest, his body straight as ever. "Captain, I'm being reposted? To what colony?" _Finally, no more furlough. Back into the action...where I'm needed._

  
Anderson shook his head, "Not a colony, Commander. A ship. The SSV _Normandy_."

  
Marcus steadily nodded as the letters 'SR' registered in his mind. Stealth Reconnaissance. He had heard of the concept of ships becoming 'submarines of the void' and becoming invisible to an enemy vessel's sensors, but he had never thought that the idea had actually passed the drawing board and put into production. For the concept to work, it would have to be done to a small vessel; a corvette or frigate. Corvette's didn't need people like him aboard; they were patrol vessels and light picket warships, which left the frigate as the only option. The _Normandy_ was a stealth frigate.

  
"A stealth frigate sir? I wasn't aware the concept of stealth technology was anything but theory at this point," Marcus stated, not as a question, but just a matter of fact. The Salarian Union had come the closest to unlocking stealth technology, but hadn't been able to actually make it work outside of tactical cloaks for ground combat units, let alone for full-sized warships.

  
Anderson nodded, "Yes, the _Normandy_ is a stealth frigate. At until now it was still just theory, but Alliance R &D have finally cracked it. She's the first of a series of _Normandy_ -class stealth frigates. The Alliance has enlisted me as its commanding officer and Staff Lieutenant Alenko here as its Chief of Security and commander of the onboard marine detachment. FLEETCOM wants you as my XO. Nothing major, just a shakedown run. Keep you on your toes."

  
"Shakedown run? Why would they need a decorated N7 operative and a sentinel on a shakedown run? Sounds a bit fishy, don't you think?" Then Marcus saw it. The gleam in Anderson's eye, that slight moment of hesitation. He knew in that moment that something was up.

  
The words that would come out were nothing but a convienent lie; Anderson knew what was going on and was at no liberty to inform them. Great, he was essentially going into the dark with no torch. For all he knew the Normandy could be being thrown into the heart of the Hanar Illuminated Primacy. But it was Anderson, a man he trusted with his life, and he'd be damned to second guess him now. Still, his instincts told him something wasn't right.

  
"It matters not. You've been reassigned and you are coming with us to the _Normandy_ ," Marcus shot a instantaneous glare at the turian, but immediately rescinded it, keeping his professional demeanor. The turian was persistent, that was amendable, but he just couldn't shake the feeling of confusion as to why a turian Spectre would be overseeing an Alliance ship's shakedown run. Why was he _really_ here?

  
"Yes sir. Just let me collect my belongings," Shepard stated, throwing a second salute as the three figures made way for the human to move into the advanced, modern corridors of the facility, making a beeline for his quarters.

  
Things just got interesting.

 

**{Loading...}**

 

 _May 21, 2183._  
_0834 hours._  
_Trading Deck, Liveship QMFV Rayya, Migrant Fleet._  
_Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Marine Escort Keenah'Butras vas Rayya._

  
"I'm sure you'll be fine child, every young adult is nervous when the time comes for their pilgrimage. You'll be fine."

  
Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay's voice was nothing but distant noise as Tali gained newfound interest in the _Rayya_ 's trading deck. The deck wasn't anything extravagant. It was 20 to 23 meters in length, the majority of the deck covered in numerous supplies and resources needed for the continuity of the Flotilla and the quarian people. The room was a horrible, sickly dark brown laced with the color of light green. The lighting was orange in color, with a single large hangar door, now sealed up by a large section of hull and a airlock welded into the middle of its bulk.

  
The room was as wonderous as Tali herself. Tali'Zorah nar Rayya was a twenty-three year old young woman, a machinist aboard her birth ship, the QMFV _Rayya_ , one of the fleet's three bulky but essential liveships that were crucial to the Flotilla's continued survival. She was about to embark on her pilgrimage, the quarian's journey into adulthood. Each quarian child, when they were ready, would travel out into the galaxy and return with something of worth to the Fleet and prove they weren't a waste of resources. They would present their gift to the captain of the ship they wished to join, and if the gift was accepted, which almost always happened, then they would join the ship, be recognized as a full adult and earn the 'vas' in their name.

  
Tali was anything but remarkable, but neither was her people. Exiled by their own AI creations, the geth, three hundred years ago, the quarians were destined to roam the stars for the rest of their existence in a fleet of fifty thousand dying and aging preowned ships. Many times had her people attempted to colonize a world, but the Council had either threatened to fine them or set up a blockade to keep them away from it, or they were told that it was more suitable as a turian colony or that it was already claimed by another species.

  
This angered Tali, the amount of prejudice shown towards her people because of a mistake made by their ancestors, frustrated her to no end. Ever since that exile, the clean environments of the Fleet had taken a toll on their immune systems, and they gradually weakened to the point that they were so weak, that stray bits of bacteria could get them sick and eventually prove so fatal, it ended in death.

  
So a countermeasure was developed. Thanks to that countermeasure, their people weren't extinct, but instead imprisoned in envirosuits that protect them from outside bacteria. Unless they could get a sterile room, they would never be able to leave their suit without getting sick or dying. To take off your suit for someone was an extreme gesture of trust and acceptance and usually; intimacy and love. But Tali had never felt that way about anyone, and probably never would.

  
Keenah stood next to the airlock, his Raptor assault rifle strapped tightly to his back and Striker pistol to his left waist. The male quarian's expression was unreadable under his one-sided mask, he could see around him, but noone could see the face concealed behind it; another disadvantage of the suits. The only thing visible behind the mask was the silvery, glowing eyes.

  
The male was also identified by his oval like helmet and the numerous filters at the back that attached it to the back of his suit. This was one of the things that helped seperate male from female. Of course there was the thin hips and small breasts of the females and the more muscular forms of the males, but the helmets helped this further. Where males used oval helmets and vocalizers, females had a hood that covered their head, with the visor covering their face. Simple and efficient. Tali nodded at the quarian as he stood up and saluted Auntie Raan, the admiral nodding for him to be at ease.

  
Shala'Raan wasn't her biological aunt of course, but she had helped Meru'Zorah, Tali's mother, give birth to Tali and place her in the sterile bubble, so in that case, she counted as a auntie to Tali. Shala had also been there for Tali when Meru died, her mother killed by a infection that swept the _Rayya_ and struck her mother when she was wondering about suitless. Her mother had achieved this through strong antibiotics, but even those couldn't save her from the infection that consumed her. As Tali stopped next to Keenah's right, she saw Shala look straight at her and move closer, wrapping her young niece in a tight embrace.

  
Tali returned the embrace, wrapping her arms around her elder aunt, holding her tightly like if she didn't, she would evaporate and never return.

  
"Where's...father?" Tali asked, but she felt like she already knew the answer. Her father was also an Admiral, but not just any admiral, he was the head of the Admiralty Board; one of two governmental bodies that ruled the Migrant Fleet, the Admiralty handling military matters and judiciary, while the Conclave, their democratic side of government, maintained the the majority of the political spectrum of governance. Shala'Raan was Admiral of the Patrol Fleet, while Han'Gerrel, her father's best friend, was Admiral of the Heavy Fleet, the Flotilla's mishmash navy of sorts, Zaal'Koris vas Qwib Qwib was Admiral of the Civilian Fleet and Daro'Xen vas Moreh was admiral of Special Projects, which Raan had told her wasn't really a fleet, but a jumble of science vessels put under Xen's command.

  
The board was divided when it came to the matter of the geth, with Xen in her insanity wanting to 'retake' control of the geth, Han'Gerrel wanting to wage total war on them, Zaal'Koris wanting to find a new world to colonize and her mother remaining neutral, but she swore she could smell some 'Koris' wearing off on her. Her father, Rael'Zorah, was also a unknown, many believing his relationship with Gerrel suggested he was siding with total conflict, while others thought his status as a scientist put him firmly under Xen's crazy policies.

  
"He...said he was busy and told me to tell you that he wishes you good luck on your pilgrimage and to stay safe," Shala stated with a almost sad note, as if she felt the pang of frustration in Tali's mind. Tali's father had never been a loving one. It wasn't that her father was strict. No, he was a Admiral, which he thought meant that his daughter wasn't as important to him, and he completely ignored her in terms of work. It wasn't fair. She wanted to feel loved, to feel like she had a family that cared, but ever since Meru died, Rael had become more and more distant until he finally isolated himself from his daughter, ignoring her at every turn. He placed the safety of the Fleet over his own daughter.  
"Of course he did. He...never really did...care," she had tried to keep the animosity out of her voice, but had failed in the end, giving in to her compulsions. She felt so angry to be ignored the way she was, to be completely cut off from her only source of actual family. Shala was the only form of family she was going to get these days. And now it was time for her pilgrimage, the most important day of her life, and her father couldn't even be bothered to see her off on that.

  
"Don't mean to rush you ma'am, but the Fleet will be hitting the relay soon and I recommend due haste. Might as well hit the relay before the Fleet so that we gain headway. I've marked a planet located just inside the Hades Nexus. Perfect place to begin a search for something worthwhile. Rest is up to you kiddo, I'm just here to oversee your protection," Keenah stated in a singular tone, his voice devoid of any emotion.

  
That's what it was like to be a Migrant Fleet Marine. All discipline, no time for play or fraterization. Straight down to business. It was something only two men she knew had; Kal'Reegar and Han'Gerrel, the former being a childhood friend and now a marine himself, the latter being a ex-Marine and now in charge of the whole quarian military. Tali looked at Keenah and smiled warmly behind her mask, not that anyone could see it, before turning back to Shala.

  
"Keenah's right. We should get going," Shala's nod was all Tali saw from the woman as she turned to follow Keenah through the airlock, the door sliding open and revealing the contents of the small makeshift shuttle. Tali was fiddling with her hands again. She was anxious to get out and explore the galaxy, to meet new people and discover places she could never have imagined.

  
In was a new chapter in her life, one she wished to cherish when she returned with her pilgrimage gift. She felt the door close behind her as she followed Keenah through the storage compartment and into the cockpit, taking her place in the seat next to him. The shuttle was illuminated in a dim blue light, the numerous control panels lit with orange light streaming khelish, her people's native language, across its terminals. Shala's voice came through the speakers.

  
"Ride safely, Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. May the ancestors guide you to what you seek. Keelah se'lai."

  
She watched as Keenah initiated preflight checks and disconnected the docking tube, the shuttle flying away from the _Rayya_ , the ship she called her home, and towards the huge mass relay that lay just ahead of the Fleet, the relay where her pilgrimage would truly begin.

  
Tali'Zorah nar Rayya nervously grinned.

 **{FILE END. CONNECTING SECOND FILE. LOADING...}**  
**{SECOND FILE LOCATED. LARGER FILE DECRYPTION}**  
**{DECRYPTION OVERRIDEN. OPENING FILE}**


	3. League of our Own

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard gets introduced to the crew. Tali finds something interesting on Gei Hinnom. Garrus investigates a rogue Spectre.

****

**ENIGMA**  
**CHAPTER ONE**  
**LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN**

_June 8, 2183_

_0507 hours_

_Flight Deck, Normandy-Class Stealth Frigate SSV Normandy SR-1, Plantia Shipyard orbiting Earth, Sol System._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Captain David Edward Anderson._

"Welcome to the Normandy commander," Anderson's words to him felt like a noise in the background as Marcus stood out of the airlock and into the magnificent ship that the Alliance claimed as their own. To the left of the airlock was the cockpit, as most frigates and corvettes were too small for a bridge, so instead they used a cockpit with usually one main pilot and two co-pilots.

The main pilot's seat sat in the front of the cockpit, directly in the middle. A single, large seat sat in front of the main panel, the pilot obviously sat in it, but the majority of his body was covered by the large seat, orange holographic panels lay in front of him, the multiple panels flying across as his hands danced on the terminal. Two smaller seats lay on his right and left, with one to the pilot's right occupied by Kaidan, while the left one was the captain's chair; Anderson's. Two more seats lay at the back, one sitting on the left and facing the same direction, the other on the right and doing the same, both unoccupied. To his right was the flight deck; a long corridor that ran for 5-6 meters and on each side was 5 more terminals, all occupied, the multiple pilots executing their assigned tasks. The next section of the ship was amazing.

The Flight deck continued until it sprawled out into a large circular room, 10 by 10 by guess, with three support struts on the left and right, all with holographic panels. The middle of the room was occupied by a single large table, the table surrounded by multiple holopanels and in the middle, a single, large hologram of the galaxy, a galaxy map if he guessed correctly, glowing with the vibrant white of the milky way. This must be where the commanding officer decided the destination of the vessel. A single raised platform stood at the rear of the table, obviously the captain's.

The design was that of a turian vessel; turians preferred to have their superiors looking down on their subordinates and since the Normandy was a joint turian-human effort, it made sense to utilize turian design in its creation. The very rear of the room sported a large support bulkhead that had the initials 'SR1' written in bold lettering, but it was obvious a room of sorts; likely a briefing room, was located behind it. Two doors flanked the room on the left and right, most likely leading into an armoury or possibly the lower decks. He turned back to Anderson, who seemed to be smiling smugly at the commander's awe.

"This is the Combat Information Center, or CIC for short. This deck sports the Briefing Center, the galaxy map, flight deck and cockpit. There are three decks; this deck, the Crew Deck and the Cargo Hold/Engineering. Let me introduce you to our pilot. I think you'll like him." Marcus nodded as he followed Anderson into the cockpit, the man stopping next to the pilot's seat. He could see the man turn his head to the captain, obviously awaiting new orders. After a few whispered words, the pilot turned towards him, allowing him a full view.

The first thing noticable was that he had a shortly cropped beard, brown in color, but it wasn't large or puffy, but developing. He wore a dark navy blue cap with the initials 'SR1' on the front, and he also wore standard flight lieutenant's uniform. His half-muscular arms lay on the arm rests, gripping them as if looking at Marcus would cause him to fly out of it. The man had green irises, giving him an eery appearence. The man was smiling.

"So, this is the new XO huh Captain? I'm Joker, the main pilot and only pilot of the ship. She's my baby, so you want to mess her you'll be messing with me." The man named Joker stated firmly with a sense of pride he'd never seen in pilots his age. He was devoted, that much was certain, but the man's attitude was something of a worry. He wasn't one for formality, as he hadn't even bothered to mention his rank, which meant he was like Marcus; to hell with formality. Anderson chuckled as he looked back at Marcus.

"Joker was the nickname we gave him. You'll find out why later." Anderson eyed Joker with a look that said 'real name, now.' That got the man's attention, he seemed to immediately melt under the gaze and give in.

"Right, right, right. Flight Lieutenant Jeff Moreau. People call me Joker because it sounds less cliche than 'Jeff' or 'Jeffrey' and I like to make little children laugh," the last bit seemed to be sarcasm on the pilot's part, which almost caused even Marcus to chuckle, "And I want you to remember this. I'm not good, hell, I'm not great, I'm the best damn helmsman in the Alliance fleet!" Marcus raised both brows at the pilot, who seemed to be radiating with narciscism or self-pride. Anderson leaned in and whispered, "He has a bit of a ego." Marcus chuckled in a 'you don't say' kind of manner, following Anderson's motions towards the Galaxy map, where they fast approached a tall and steardy man, obviously in his fifties or sixties by his grey 'abraham lincoln' style beard, his eyes a dark brown.

He wore customary Alliance uniform, dark navy blue with the grey bars of a Master Chief Petty Officer. The man turned, smiling as he did and he saluted with a brisk straight up. "Captain Anderson, I assume this is our new XO?" Seeing Anderson nod, Marcus took the man's hand and shook it, smiling as he did.

"Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, N7, Executive Officer of the Normandy. Pleasure to meet you, Master Chief." The man nodded and smiled, the man seemed to be one of the 'professional, no bullshit types' that Marcus really didn't like, as they were all hardasses, but this man seemed geniunely kind inside.

"Master Chief Petty Officer Charles Pressly, Navigator on the Normandy. I was the original Executive Officer on the ship and the pleasure is all mine commander. I was on the Agincourt as its navigator when we left FTL over Elysium. We were the first ship to respond to your distress call." Marcus acknowledged the man's words with a nod, surprised that Pressly just happened to be involved in the biggest battle of his life.

Why were all these people here? Its not that he hated them or anything, but why all these professonal men and women for a simple shakedown run? Alot of the numbers didn't add up, and he wanted to know what was going on. He would ask Anderson later.

"Nice to meet you Pressly, I hope we can work well together as a team." Marcus reached his hand out again and met the navigator's firm grip, releasing it as he followed Anderson through the left door. He was right the second time; the door opened up to a stairwell that spiralled right down onto the second deck, which Anderson called the Crew Deck. Once on the bottom he noticed that the stairs were glowing and when he looked down, noticed they had lights on each stair that glowed pure blue. The walls were laced with silver titantium, the blue light of the stairs playing on their features.

To the left of the stairwell's end was a screen that displayed news reports, tactical data, the ship's current status; whether it was on Priority Red which meant battlestations or Priority Yellow which meant weapons ready etc. To the right was both mess hall entrances, seperated by a single elevator in the middle that must have lead to the third and final deck of the frigate. Shepard followed Anderson through the corridor and into the Mess Hall, but that wasn't the only part of the crew deck available for him to see.

In the middle of the mess hall area was a large table, numerous crew members seated at it, nimbling away at food rations and protein bars. A large appendage lay on the ceiling, two orange, holopanels erected from it, displaying to the seated people numerous data and statistics, keeping them updated on the status of the outside world. The table was cut off from the rest of the room by two large support struts on its rear, large and made of hard titantium, like the rest of the ship interior. On the bulkhead opposite the struts and seperating the elevator from the mess hall was once again the same initials of 'SR1'. The entire area was illuminated in rich, orange light, almost eery at some points.

To the right of the room was the Medical Bay, with no windows but a single, horizontally sliding door like the ones at the stairs at its entrance, and on the left wall of it, numerous lockers for the crew. Opposite the medical bay on the left side of the deck was Anderson's cabin, or the Captain's Cabin, which held much the same design; single door with lockers on its right side. The middle rear of the room held a corridor similiar to the flight deck, but instead held 10 sleeper pods on each side; small pods with a tightly packed bed inside and glass on the exterior.

At the end of this corridor was a single control panel, presumably operating fire control measures and evacuation. Laced around the sides of the room were the hatches that lead to escape pods, not that the speedy frigate would need to use them any time soon, but it was always good to have a quick evacuation plan.

Upon finishing his examination of the crew deck, Anderson led him into the medbay, the form of a woman, presumably the chief medical officer on the ship, approached them, holding up her omni-tool; a glowing orange interface that was projected as a hologram over the arm and attacked as the portable successor to the iPod, Laptop and other personal devices that originally acquired a power socket.

This omni-tool was a medical variant, and once the woman had finished with it, she looked up and greeted Anderson with a warm smile. The woman was like Pressly, she was old but not an antique. Her hair was combed and held the silvery streaks of age and her face showed signs of aging such as wrinkles and darkened skin, but aside from that she looked closer to forty then she did sixty.

Examining her posture more closely it was evident she'd been working in the medical department for decades, and had become a full-time expert in her field. Another professional on a shakedown run. What was going on? Her standard issue medical uniform held the same pure white color and red stripes of any medical officer in Alliance. She looked at Shepard, and held out her hand, her warm smile unwavering.

"Commander Marcus Shepard, I'm Chief Medical Officer Karin Chakwas. I run everything medical on the ship, as my rank signifies for you. I just want you to know that my patient's wellbeing means everything to me and I don't care how stubborn they are, I do insist on treating them and nursing them back to health." Marcus smiled back as he realized Dr. Chakwas was definitely another one to take her job seriously, but she did it with the same kind of demeanour Joker carried. She was kind, friendly and sometimes, if not as frequent as their pilot, sarcastic at times. Marcus could definitely get used to this kind of crew arrangement.

"Nice to meet you doctor. Talk again soon?" Marcus asked in the most friendly voice he could muster. He wasn't terrible at being friendly and social, but he wasn't exactly marvelous at it either.

"I'd like that, commander. When your done meeting the crew, I'd like to perform a medical examination on you. We do it with all new crew members so we know what their medical needs are such as medication, prescriptions, all sorts." With that, the woman named Karin Chakwas returned to her desk, enthralling herself back into the world of biology and anatomy. Or maybe examining the data on her omni-tool.

Before they left, Shepard took note of the medical bay around him. The room was illuminated in a dark blue light, what would be considered creepy to most, while the left wall was lined with medbeds with numerous machines around them. The right was occupied by X-Ray images and Karin's desk, while the end of the room occupied a second door, leading presumably to a second office or storage area. Upon leaving, they immediately entered the elevator at a brisk pace.

The elevator ride was agonizingly slow; pathetic considering modern technology had the ability to create faster elevators than this. You'd think this far into the future they'd have designed a elevator that could travel at a decent speed. Once they finally arrived on the third deck, they watched as the door slid downwards and they were greeted by the cargo hold.

The room was dark but not pitch black, with the large form of a M-35 Mako; a heavily-armed all-terrain fighting vehicle close to tank-like status but with the speed of a 21st century humvee, occupying the right of the room, a small terminal lying next to it; unoccupied, empty. Behind the mako and to the very right of the elevator lay a single desk surrounded with computers and terminals and a single Alliance officer, wearing alliance uniform and a cap similiar to Joker's, sitting behind it.

Upon Anderson's explanation, he learned it was the requisitions officer, who could purchase liscenes for the numerous companies that construct omni-tools, armor, weapons and grenades. Not to mention weapon mods. Occupying the left of the room was a small, makeshift armoury, with two benches lined up with an assortment of weapons that make room next to the lockers.

Many of the lockers were empty except for the three closest to the benches labelled, 'Shepard', 'Kaidan' and 'Jenkins'. Shepard was pleased to note that Shepard's preferred weapons; a Assault Rifle for medium range encounters and a shotgun for close quarters was located safely in his locker, a Diamond Back AR model and a Armageddon model Shotgun, both devastating weapons.

Next to the bench stood what looked like a very excited young soldier, a marine by the looks and a corporal by the look of his armor, and he wore what looked like a british beret, laying lopsided on his head. The soldier had a huge smile on his face as they approached.

"Commander Shepard! Lance Corporal Richard Lenard Jenkins, I'm a member of your ground squad! It is such an honor to meet you! I heard about all those things you did on Eden Prime and Elysium and I can't wait to see you in action!" The excited corporal named Jenkins stated in almost rapidfire.

Marcus simply chuckled, "Don't get too excited, I'm still getting used to working onboard a ship. I got used to working planetside all the time. I feel safer when I'm not. Keeps me on my toes. Don't worry Jenkins, you and I? We're are soldiers, and we fight where it hurts the enemy most; on the ground. That's where wars are really won, not in space, but on the ground, in the neck of it." Jenkins seemed to get even more hysterical. He was like a little child, nodding like a kid that had gotten his first toy, his smile just as large. With a final salute, the corporal returned to his work bench and Anderson motioned Shepard down one of the many passages behind the cargo bay, moving down into the bowels of the vessel.

Exiting through the door, Marcus was welcomed by a gigantic, and majestic, sight. Engineering. Numerous engineers moved about their work space as they tapped at the numerous orange glowing terminals at the presipice, while the biggest engine core lay at the back, the biggest drive core he'd ever seen. He simply gaped in awe.

"Impressive isn't it? That's the Tantalus Drive Core, one of the biggest and most advanced drive cores on any Alliance ship. When in stealth mode, it collects all our tachyon emissions and traps them in a sink in the ship's engines to keep us invisible to enemy sensors. Sensors rely on the emissions released by the ship to detect us but trap those emissions, and boom, we're are like the red october." Marcus' eyes moved to the source of the voice and saw a young figure, a man in dark navy blue alliance uniform with the insignia of Chief Engineer emblazoned on his chest.

His hair was cropped like Anderson's, but sported a more brownish color while his face was a mix between light brown and pink. Anderson smiled as the man finished his approach, reaching out his hand to Shepard to shake.

"Chief Engineer Gregory Adams, I run the engineering staff here on the Normandy. You're Commander Shepard, I presume?" Marcus nodded as he gripped the man's hand, Adams responding with an equally tight grip. Marcus smiled back.

"You know your stuff Adams?" he asked.

Adams laughed, "I've served on every class of Alliance ship, from Jerusalem-Class Corvettes to Everest-Class Dreadnoughts. You name it, I've served on it. My latest posting was a Wolverine-Class Heavy Cruiser, the SSV Tokyo. Now I'm here, one of the most advanced warships built by the alliance. Its an honor to serve under Captain Anderson. I'm considered the best engineer in the Alliance fleet." Marcus sighed to nobody but himself. Another professional. On a Shakedown Run. So they had the best pilot the alliance had to offer, the navigator involved in the Elysium liberation, a expert medical officer, a jibbery alliance soldier, a sentinel, a turian spectre, a N7 veteran, a Mako speedy tank and finally; a long-time serving alliance engineer.

So many professionals and dedicated officers; all a simple test run. None of it added up at all. Not to mention they had the hero of Eden Prime and Elysium onboard as XO. That just added even more 'what the fuck' to the equation. Whatever was going on, he was sure he'd find out soon.

"It was nice to meet you Adams." Marcus stated as he followed Anderson out of engineering, the chief engineer giving a parting salute as they left, entering the elevator for the Crew Deck.

"What do you think of our crew, Commander?" Anderson asked, breaking the silence of the annoyingly slow elevator ride.

"I think they have no idea what's really going on." Marcus stated. All Anderson did was look at him bewildered. His question didn't need verbal application. It was evident in his features. He had asked his question, just not verbally.

"You know what I mean sir. There's something else going on. Why the spectre? The Alliance's top pilot, doctor and engineer? The navigator involved with Elysium? A Sentinel? You? Me? These men and women are all worthy of serving in a small, indestructible army. Why are we needed on the world's most advanced warship to aid with a simple test run? What aren't you telling us?" He knew his question was probably invalid and insubordination, but he didn't care. Marcus was the kind of man who only acted when he had all the variables, and when he didn't, well, events like Eden Prime and Elysium happen. He needed to know.

"I can't tell you Shepard. All I can tell you is that the Alliance wants to keep you in the dark for now. Just be patient." Anderson said with a concluding tone, hoping that put a resolution to the conversation before it became heated.

"Yes sir" was Marcus' only answer as the Crew Deck elevator door opened. Joker's voice came through the comm, "Captain, Alliance Control has given us permission to disembark. We're we headed?" the pilot finished with a terrible attempt at a texan accent.

"Once we're disembarked, hit the Sol Relay and set a course for Eden Prime, one half speed. Tell Nihlus I want to meet him in my office." With that, Anderson sent Marcus off to unpack his things while he talked with Nihlus in his cabin. He and Kaidan shared a soldier-to-soldier to conversation and he got to know Kaidan a bit more before retiring to his sleeper pod for the night, sealing the hatch with a hiss as he closed his eyes to sleep.

Eden Prime? The colony where my career began? Coincidence maybe? No, something is going on and I intend to find out what.

 

**{Loading...}**

 

  
_June 12, 2183_

_1916 hours._

_Forested Area, Southeastern continent, Southern Hemisphere, Gei Hinnom._

_Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Marine Escort Keenah'Butras vas Rayya._

"Stay right behind me ma'am, I'll keep you safe. We must vacate immediately." Keenah's warning and orders reined hollow in the quarian woman's head as she ignored him and pulled out her Katana model shotgun as she ran forward and through the undergrowth. Keenah shouted at her with words of objection, but she didn't listen, her suit ripping through the thick canopies of rich green plantations and slid past the tall tree trunks. The signal was coming from directly ahead, and if what Keenah said was true, and it was indeed geth, she intended to kill one and bring back its body as her pilgrimage gift.

Not only would it allow people like Xen and her father to develop countermeasures against the geth, but it would also allow her people a shot at retaking the homeworld. She could be the quarian to end three hundred years of exile. She would first extract its memory core and see what it had to offer and then later take it back to the Neema, the ship she wished to join. Han'Gerrel, the Neema's captain, would be very pleased and most certainly accept her gift of resources.

What was odd was that; geth outside the Perseus Veil. The geth hadn't left the cluster since exiling her people and now Keenah and herself had found a squad of them in the Hades Nexus. Tali was not only eager to earn her place in the fleet, but looking in the memory core and discovering why the geth were so far from home would quench her curiosity. Against a squad of geth she wouldn't stand a chance.

Even with training from Kal, possibly the best marine in the flotilla, and being proficient with tech and her shotgun, she would be hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned, not to mention outclassed due to the geth's networked intelligence; the more geth together the better their tactical effiency and intelligence. A whole squad would slaughter her before she could fire a single slug. But if she could seperate one from its unit...Keenah and herself could easily cripple it.

That's providing Keenah got over his objections. From the sound of what was happening behind her however, it was evident he had given into her insistence; that or he was following just to keep her protected. Being an Admiral's daughter and friends with a well known flotillian marine not only got her the best training, but as a liability, it put pressure on her. Alot was expected of her.

Bringing a geth back to the fleet, hopefully that would finally regain her father's attention, allow him to open up to her and be a real father. The father she needed him to be. She knew these dreams were childish at best, and most of all selfish, but what more could a woman ask for? The forest began to thin out as she neared the edge of the clearing, and she could hear Keenah's heavy breathing as he ran alongside her, desperately trying to keep up with her feminine speed.

Her shotgun also fell up and down with her hands as they continued running and running, the bright sun of Gei Hinnom burning brightly through the treetops. Looking to her right, she could finally see Keenah, Raptor assault rifle in both hands, sprinting right alongside her, his look barren as he concentrated on usurping all his energy into keeping up with the young girl, watching out for traps and tripups as any marine would.

Tali had to force herself into stopping when she noticed the final clearing; a large 5 meter drop into the ravine below. She slid to a stop, as did Keenah, right at the edge, kicking up bits of dirt and rocks, dust collecting in a fine mist as it fell over the edge of the cliff, dipping into the large ravine down below. Tali scanned the area below with her eyes. The area below was barren, with no trace of the forest plantation they had left behind them. More forest laced the area opposite them, but apart from that, nothing but simple barren dirtfields, going on for a mile to her left.

But then she saw it, right out in the open, clear as day, a dozen of them in formation walking to the west, moving in a single swarm like a pack of Iozi. Geth. Tali had had nightmares about the synthetics day and night when she was child; slaughtering defenseless quarian men, women and children as they attempted to run from the artifical murderers, entire ships burning up in the atmosphere of Rannoch as geth cruisers shot them down. These robotic labor machines had been turned into ruthless, emotionless killing machines and murdered billions of her people.

What had once been a population of twenty-two billion quarians on Rannoch, had been reduced to seventeen million on the Flotilla; the last quarians in existence. That number would never grow due to the fleet's zero population growth policy. Each family was only allowed a single child, which is why noone had brothers or sisters, not biologically anyway. Kal'Reegar to her was what she considered a brother, they had had so many fun times in their childhood.

The geth moved along the plains like predators, scoping the landscape for their prey. The galaxy had nicknamed them 'flashlight heads', and for good reason. Geth were mostly built to look like quarians; their bodies and legs were arched in much the same fashion, back arched forwards while legs are arched backwards. They also had three-fingers and three toes, but that is where the similiaraties ended.

The geth main body was a hard-metal casing made of solid titantium, while their insides were incased with neural nodes, synthetic processors, numerous hard drives and a single memory core which was wiped of all data upon the geth platform's expiration. A skilled quarian however, one like her, could easily save the data. The head was essentially a huge flashlight, with numerous flaps on the top that would move and twist whenever the unit was communing with other platforms, while its flashlight head glowed a deep, bright blue.

The armor casing of the geth folded over the optics (the flashlight) like a protective hood. The geth were networked intelligence, which meant none of them were individuals; each individual platform housed thousands of individual geth programs, all operating on the same runtime. Destroying the individual platform they are using won't kill them, as they can simply upload themselves into another platform.

There are merriads of different geth variants, but the variant she was looking at was a standard trooper variants. There were drones and even 'armature-class' units, which were essentially moving, thinking, geth tanks, but aside from that, the rest was unknown. The geth also possessed a powerful fleet, but from what she knew, those ships were run individually and without a crew.

She watched as the emotionless trooper platforms steadily marched past, oblivious to their enemy's presence. The geth weren't like stereotypical robots; they had no built-in arm cannons or weapons of any sort, as they were originally built for labor and then became cannon fodder for the now defunct quarian republican military. The geth held weapons just like any organic would.

Their particular weapon utilized the same geth architecture, smooth and sleek. The weapon the ones they saw were using was a model the quarians called 'geth pulse rifles', which were geth assault rifles that fired a type of slug they had never seen before. The bullets fired weren't actual plasma, but it fired metal slugs that were superheated and fired at such a velocity, they could penetrate even the heaviest of combat armor and penetrate the strongest of shields.

The amount of rounds fired by the weapon was also astonishing, as was the geth's unusual use of ammunition; instead of utilizing the normal, modern weapon systems that utilized a mass accellerator that could keep firing before overheating and needing to cooldown, the geth used what were dubbed 'thermal clips' that were essentially ammo, which not only meant the geth could use their weapons more efficiently and expodentially, but it also meant that the risk of the weapon 'breaking' and 'exploding' was greatly decreased.

The design of geth architecture was some what creepy, the synthetics utilizing a insectoid design with their ships and weapons. After doing her research on human history, she had learned that the geth ships were much like a praying mantis in shape, while the pulse rifle looked more like a cockroach. Even geth attack formations mirrored insects, with geth naval blockades being compared to 'stunt fliers in formation.'

The pulse rifle was a dull silvery grey in color, while the design was sleek and insectoid. As weird as the weapon was, the deadly accuracy and firepower of it was something to fret, and getting her hands on one of those geth depended on getting past that defense. She continued to examine the geth, their numerous platforms making clicking and mechanical noises as they communicated; as the geth don't talk.

She noticed a particulary lone geth trooper, a shock trooper by the milky white color of its body casing, wagging behind the squad at least four meters away, seemingly scouting the rear. It wasn't long before she noticed the shock trooper looking straight at them. Keenah noticed this sooner, but by the time he pulled her into cover it was too late and the shock trooper had spotted them. She could hear the sound of crunching vegetation as the platform approached them.

"Keelah! I told you we should have taken the shuttle and left!" Keenah exclaimed, checking his rifle as he did, making sure to switch to incendiary rounds. Tali's shotgun had already switched to disruptor rounds, while she opened her omni-tool and prepared an overload program her father conjured up to overload an enemy's shielding. Not only did it work wonders on what it was designed to do, but it also messed with a synthetic's internal systems, and hopefully the same could be said for a certain geth shock trooper that was approaching them.

Keenah's frustrated statement seemed to echo the annoyance into Tali herself, who held her pistol in a position that would place it straight at the geth's optics or 'flashlight' head as many preferred to call it. She shot a glare at Keenah, which was visible even through the mask.

"And abandon this oppurtunity, you bosh'tet? This could be the key to completing my pilgrimage! A intact geth platform would be invaluable to our attempts at retaking the homeworld! I could be the one to put us back on Rannoch!" Tali realized how selfish her ambitions were, how she had stated it like a woman wanting the fame, but she didn't. She was doing this for her people, not for herself. The fame could go to hell, she was here to make quarian history, to be the one that gave her people the chance to live without suits again, to see her father's face, to...to...have that house on Rannoch her father promised them...

But that had been when her mother was alive but now she was gone, never coming back, forever in the embrace of the ancestors. Maybe if she died today, she might see Meru again, to enjoy the warmth of her hugs that she enjoyed during childhood. The thoughts were thrown away when she heard the familiar mechanical noise of the shock trooper, so close now she swore it was right above them. How right she was.

Looking up she was now staring down the trooper's rifle sights, looking into the emotionless machine's bright blue optics. It was ready to blow her head off, but it never got the chance. Shots rang out as Keenah fired his rifle straight into the geth's chest casing, the shots pinging of its barriers, shields flickering blue in the air as the bullets fell harmlessly to the ground.

The geth decided Keenah was a more lethal target, and switched targets. But she had a shotgun. As the geth turned to face Keenah and bared its rifle on the unlucky marine, she activated her omni-tool and tapped the overload icon as she pointed it directly at the geth. A burst of bright, blue electricity, wrapped over the shock trooper, shields exploding in bright blue light as the trooper tumbled left, rifle still held firmly in its grip as it quickly turned back to Tali with effiency only a machine was capable of. Too late. Tali had her shotgun bared and squeezed the trigger, a large metal slug smashing into its machine chasis, chunks of armor shooting in multiple directions as the geth fell to the ground in silence, pulse rifle clattering to the ground. Now wasn't the time to celebrate her victory however. She had to recover the memory core before it was completely wiped.

"Quickly Keenah! We have to retrieve that memory core!" She shouted as she slid her shotgun into the horizontal strap on the back of her waist, moving to position herself to the left of the now unmoving geth shock trooper, its glowing blue optics no longer pulsing, but just a blackened, dark, shattered optic. Keenah quickly fixed his raptor assault rifle to the right magnetic clamp on his back, the replacement for holsters, before moving to the right, awaiting his escort's orders. Not waiting for Keenah, she immediately reached into the geth's chest cavatity, reaching her hand around inside for the memory core. Following her training, she found the latch for the memory core and released it, ripping the core out of the chest and onto the grass.

It was glowing blue in color, multiple stripes running along the cylinder. She watched as Keenah held the core still and she brought out her omni-tool, directly interfacing it with the memory core. She needed to hurry before all the data was deleted. Beginning the upload, she watched as bits of data steadily disappear. Most of it was stuff she didn't need, hard drive runtimes, geth collective intelligence processes, and other mundane stuff. It didn't take long for the upload to complete, but by the time she had finished, seventy-one percent of the shock trooper's memory was purged.

"Damn it! I only managed to retrieve twenty-nine percent of the memory. Let me check what's on it." Tali wasn't exactly happy about the data she recovered. She was expecting at least fifty percent, but in the end she had gotten just over a quarter of the memory. It would have to do however. As she activated her omni-tool, a full list of all the things she had recovered from the core came up, with over a hundred and twenty items. One however, one very specific one, caught her absolute attention. It was a voice file, one that must have held special significance if a geth had decided to keep it in its memory files. Scanning the file she found results for two people involved in the recording, a unknown female and a man named 'Saren'.

"Let's hear it." Keenah's voice came over her shoulder, obviously having watched her the entire time. Tali nodded and brought up the file, listening intently. The voice that came through was intimidating, definitely turian and partly synthetic, as if the turian had spoken with the hybrid of a geth.

"Eden Prime was a major victory! The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit." The man named Saren's voice came through the omni-tool in a loud drone, proclaiming his victory like a great general would after winning a huge battle.

"And one step closer to the return of the Reapers." The feminine voice was just as intimidating, if not slightly attractive. The sultry accent hinted towards a asari, but the raspy voice meant she was quite advanced in age. Whoever the Reapers, Eden Prime, the beacon or this conduit was, it was going to be bad news if this Saren and the asari woman got there hands on them. And if a turian had managed to get an entire geth army under his command; he must have been a powerful authoritive figure.

"Eden Prime! That's a human colony in the Attican Traverse! I'm not sure what this 'Conduit', 'Reapers' or 'Beacon' are though." Keenah stated. Tali nodded, not in agreement, but acknowledgment. If Saren had attacked a human colony with a army of geth that could only mean a geth invasion was in motion, which meant the galaxy was being attacked unaware. They needed to be warned, and fast.

Her pilgrimage would have to wait, galactic security and safety was in perilious danger was the thousands of colonies out there. Looking deeper into the file, she found information about the Reapers and brought it up. She didn't like what she saw. Apparently they were a race of sentient machines that wiped out the Protheans; the race that created the mass relays, citadel and all the technology the galaxy is based off, fifty thousand years ago, leaving no trace of their existence before vanishing. The geth seem to worship the Reapers as gods, the pinnacle of synthetic life.

"Keelah! If this turian has an entire geth army at his command the entire galaxy could be at risk! We have to warn the authorities!" Tali exclaimed, forgetting the dead shock trooper as she got up and began to speed walk back to their shuttle. Keenah seemed to follow behind her obediently, allowing her to set the pace. Then she spoke up, "Agreed. We can go to Ilium. Its an asari colony in the Tasale System, Cresent Nebula.

Deep in the Terminus Systems, but their one of the many colonies in that sector that have a government authority and proper security forces. They can provide us protection while we hand over the information." Tali simply nodded as they continued through the forest back towards the shuttle landing zone, hoping the trooper they killed hadn't managed to send out a distress call to its fellow platforms.

No, if it had they would have been swarmed already. Or they could be waiting at the shuttle. No, the geth were intelligent but not intelligent enough to set up an ambush. The machines didn't think outside the box, they were programmed to think inside it. But as AI, they might have evolved further than that. These geth weren't simple VI, they were smart enough to evolve past their basic programming.

Tali and Keenah eventually broke into a run. If a geth galactic invasion really was imminent, then the galaxy needed to know now.

And not to far away, on a distant mountain, a single turian stood watching them, a man by the name of Jacobus, who continued to watch as they kept running towards their shuttle. He keyed his comm, his orange omni-pad forming around his palm.

"I want a ship prepared. I will pursue that shuttle and destroy it. Once marooned on Illium, I will kill the suit-rats myself."

And with that, the quarians, obliviously, began the run for their lives.

 

**{Loading...}**

 

_June 12, 2183_

_1357 hours._

_Captain Entricas' Office, C-Sec Headquarters, Shalta Wards, The Citadel._

_Detective Sergeant Garrus Vakarian._

Red-tape here, red-tape there. Everywhere he went, he saw enough red-tape to sink a turian Century-class cruiser. Citadel Security, or C-Sec for short, was nothing short of a bullshit organization. None of the captains Garrus served under had the balls to do what needed to be done. To gun down the criminals of society. Instead, it was regulations first, lives last. If anything, Garrus would rather be a viglante than a detective; at least they got the job done. Garrus had always been a fan of the Spectres, as they got to do just that, kill in the name of justice and not have cuffs appear on your wrists. But his father, Thotous Vakarian, was a huge fan of the law and despised the spectres, frustrated by their ability to basically be legal criminals.

Thotous was once a veteran in C-Sec, an experienced police officer, and Garrus had been raised to join them. And so he grew up being a law-abiding citizen and eventually, a terrible cop, policing the Shalta Wards of the majestic Citadel. It was overrated of course. 'Upholding the law' with C-Sec meant 'let criminals walk' in the real world. If Garrus had the ability, he would walk up to Executor Palin, the director of C-Sec, himself and tell him that his organization was corrupted. Thus far, C-Sec had let criminals like Fist, Dr. Saleon, Ricky and many others walk uncuffed, alive and free when they should be dead or locked up.

But it wasn't Garrus' place to decide, he was here to do his job and not fiddle about. He wanted to make his father proud, not himself. He even sacrificed his chance to become a Spectre for the chance of impressing his father.

But now Garrus was back in C-Sec HQ, walking through the dark blue corridors of the facility as he approached his captain's office, his latest disagreement ready to be shot at him. Once again a criminal had been allowed to walk, a krogan male named Jax, who had been selling illegal weapon permits on the black market, and when Garrus had arrested the man, Entricas had petitioned to have him released due to 'lack of evidence to convict.'

The krogan was a criminal just by being krogan. Krogan had been known as a naturally violent species, even eclipsing the batarians. They were large, hulking and two legged tanks, packing a whopping five hundred pound weight, with their species being largely reptillian. Their teeth were canines, while their lower jaw stuck out under the upper jaw. Their skin was covered in a leathery hide, with a large crest on their head, circulating bloodflow all over the krogan's forehead. They were much like hunchbacks, with their back reaching up behind their heads, arching in a triangular fashion.

They had large, three-fingered hands, with bulky, sharp talons for their feet. Walking tank wasn't an exaggeration either. Their bodies were built to withstand horrendous punishment, as they had the unusual ability to regenerate tissue; they could practically heal themselves, but the ability could only be used every hour, due to the repairing tissue needing to regenerate itself. This made them self-healing tanks, with a redundant nervous system that allowed them to breathe for huge amounts of time without oxygen. A unique species, but given their history, they weren't very lucky.

The krogan homeworld, Tuchanka, was a desert planet that had once teemed with krogan life and large cities, but after the krogan evolved and developed nuclear weapons, they used their weapons to wage civil war, which ended in a vast nuclear winter that lasted a decade and leaving Tuchanka a barren wasteland. During the Rachni Wars, the Council knew they couldn't defeat the Rachni themselves, as the hives were too toxic, but a species with a redundant nervous system...perfect for the job. So the salarians, a amphibious species, decided to uplift the krogan from their devolved state and use them as weapons to destroy the Rachni; and they worked to significant effect. The krogan stormed Rachni hives and decimated them, resulting in the Rachni's eventual extinction. However, the krogan were unlike any other species; they bred VERY quickly, 5,000 children per birth.

That's five thousand children given birth to by a single pregnant krogan female. This mass breeding ended with the krogan population spiralling out of control, colonies becoming flooded in years. The krogan demanded more worlds to colonize, but the Council ignored them, resulting in the Krogan Rebellions. Seeing the krogan as unstoppable, the salarians developed a horrible genetic weapon called the genophage; a virus that rewrote a krogan female's reproduction code, randomizing it so that only one out of every 1,000 births survived into the world, resulting in zero population growth.

The salarians then gave it to the turians, who deployed it on every krogan colony and Tuchanka. Within a few years, the krogan populace was so horribly effected that the Council forces were able to finally push them back to Tuchanka, demilitarizing them by taking away their fleet and leaving them with nothing; a once proud race reduced to a batarian state, and even they got better, as the krogan were basically thrown back to what human's called the 'Industrial Revolution' stage. Now the krogan's made a living by becoming mercenaries or killing each other.

Krogan like Jax weren't a rarity, but he certainly intended to make sure he was used as a example. Entricas' actions might have well been a sign that said 'all krogan are free to provide weapons to criminal. In return we expect you do not provoke our local viglante.' Yeah, well Garrus was anything but a by the books turian. Many would call him a 'bad turian,' and who's to say he wasn't proud of it? He wasn't going to live up to some turian stereotype just to please some alien stranger. He was unique, he didn't care if that was good or bad, as long as he got the job done; even if it meant the bastard had to die. That's how the law really works. But Entricas', being a fellow turian, just had his head so far into his regulation paperwork that he was to blind to see it. Hopefully that would change. Today.

Garrus finally rounded the final corridor to his left and entered Entricas' office, the turian seated behind his desk doing the usual work; regulation forms, assignments, recruit dossiers, the usual mundane work. The turian wore the yellow and green face paint of the colony of Librus, a colony seated in the Vipress Nebula. The facepaint for turians was symbolism adopted after the Unification War; a civil war that occured long before the turians admission into the council, in which most of the colonies declared independence from the hierarchy of Palaven.

The war was resolved with all colonies gaining independence from Palaven, but still answering to the same meritocratical government. So was born, the facepaint. Garrus wore no facepaint, as turians born on Palaven had no need for it, but in the end Garrus simply didn't like the idea of the facepaint; he saw it as labelling yourself as the property of that colony, like a weapon was to its owner. Symbolism his turian ass.

Clearing his throat, he saw Entricas look up at him and roll his eyes. Garrus growled, which caught Entricas' attention tenfold, causing him to move away from his terminal, stand up and approach his fellow turian. Once the man was neck and neck with him, he spoke.

"You have something to report, Vakarian?" Entricas' voice was calm and didn't hold any intimidation; which told you how much of a coward this man was. He was retired from the turian military, having served his required ten year service. Garrus got out of that luckily because of his family's relationship with Primarch Fedorian and his family. The man had never reached the rank of Staff Sergeant, and now he understood why. Garrus cleared his throat before speaking.

"Why the hell did you let Jax out? The man was a convicted weapons dealer and you knew it! Why did you set the animal free from his cage!?" Garrus growled at the Captain, his glare evident as it shot at Entricas. The man seemed to flinch from his subordinate's change of tone, but any evidence that he was intimidated by him was quickly wiped away as the man assumed a obviously fake professional demeanour and stood up to him. Entricas' voice was smooth but not unwavering, more fidgety then he'd like.

"There was no proof to support your accusation. I saw no reason to keep him in. He was innocent, case closed." Entricas' voice dripped with lies, as if the man had been taught to spread bullshit out of his mouth at a early age. The man wasn't the perfect liar; liars knew to spout their bullshit while remaining discreet about it. This man was spouting bullshit while making it quite evident that he didn't believe the crap coming out of his own mouth. It was sickening, and only the spirits know why the man is still a captain and why the man hasn't retired to his death. Garrus growled even louder, this one more guttural, more predatory.

"That's a load of crap! Who the fuck do you think you're fooling Entricas? I saw the bloody krogan selling the weapons myself! He was doing it in the lower markets at the upper half of the Kikowani Ward, just below the Presidium! Just outside Chora's Den, where that other scumbag, Fist and his thugs live and continue to murder innocent people while you sit on your ass covering their heads as they continue to evade justice! If you had any balls you would have thrown both those assholes in a jail cell and left them to rot, not to mention you would have convinced the Citadel fleet to destroy Saleon's ship!" Garrus was so pissed off right now.

He had enough of this cowardly captain's excuses and constant scheming. Either Fist was paying him under the table to stay quiet, or he was being sent death threats but it didn't matter to Garrus, what mattered to him was upholding the law and the justice behind it. Anything else could go to hell and stay there.

"You are way out of your league, Sergeant! This is Citadel Security, not the friggin turian military! We don't just arrest people because you think they did something! You have to have proof! You want to play around and get yourself killed, fine by me. Just don't get me or your fellow officers involved! Your as bad as Sergeant Bailey! And he's a human! I'd expect better from a fellow turian such as yourself!" Entricas roared, but the amount of cowardice in his tone was so disgustingly evident it was quite pathetic.

"Because Bailey isn't a spineless coward and doesn't stand up for this bullshit! If you had any quad, this would have been resolved properly. Fuck regulations! They only serve as a obstacle for our job. We are meant to protect the people and civilians! But how are we doing that when we are letting men like Jax, Fist and Saleon free!? Fuck you, Entricas. I'm taking this to Palin himself. See what he wants with this."

"Palin? You seriously want to take such a unnessacary subject to the Executor himself? Be my guest, but your wasting your time Vakarian. You and Bailey will soon get your heads back into reality and learn what the world is really like." With that, Entricas sped back to his desk and seated himself back behind it, staring blankly at his terminal as he began writing up further status reports. Garrus' only words before leaving the room were, "I'm sure the real world is still full of quadless, politician kissing, assholes like you. I'll see what Palin has to say about this."

With that, any retort Entricas had planned fell unheard on the closing doors as Garrus stormed back into the corridor. His next destination? The Executor's office. Maybe he would at least listen. Any further train of thought was derailed as a familiar human voice came from his right.

"Entricas still hiding behind his desk? Or did he finally open his dumbass brain and allow himself to see the real world?" Garrus turned to see that it was Bailey, Armando Owen Bailey, a fellow C-Sec officer working under Entricas that had spoken, his Raikou model pistol sidearm at his hip, dangling needlessly. The man had cropped hair that was brownish in color, with a slight beard under his nose.

The man was at least in thirties, his voice one of a professional. His accent was that of what humans called 'british' nationality, while his standard C-Sec uniform of dark red gleamed in the light. The man had a firm jawline and like Garrus, wasn't a huge fan of regulations. Its why he and Bailey had worked so well together. Garrus shook his head.

"Still hiding behind his wallnut desk. I've given up on him, he's too deep in his own bullshit. I'm taking this to the Executor." By Bailey's expression, he looked like he was surprised. Humans seemed to rely heavily on facial gestures to communicate their emotions, as their face had so many features that could convey these emotions. Bailey's eyebrows were raised, which meant he was surprised, not to mention the certain gleam in his eyes.

"Executor Palin? Talk about hardcore for the cause. I'd come with you but Entricas has my head so far up in paperwork that I can't possibly finish it all by the end of the week and I really need to get it done. Also a few suspects to rein in. I'd wish you good luck, but I guess you turians don't believe in such things with your spirits and shit." Bailey had a huge grin on his face, obviously playing around and poking fun at the turian.

One of the great things about C-Sec; fraternization had no meaning here, you didn't get court-marshalled or reassigned to a new unit just because you got alittle social with someone. He'd heard that females and males weren't allowed in the same unit ever since Elysium, as one of the soldiers had gotten a little intimate with his squad member, ending in a romantic relationship that ended with the woman dead when the batarians attacked.

This human policy quickly spread and now all aliens use it except the asari; as their species is monogendered, meaning their is no male or female gender, they characterize both. Garrus was still confused by that as the asari seemed very much like their entire race was female, as all of them had large breasts and all of them had feminine looks and voices.

"Don't you humans worship multiple gods or something?" Garrus asked. He was genuinely curious; he had never gotten into the topic of human religious practises. Bailey laughed as he responded, "Yeah, we used to, that's until we evolved. We had multiple religions but now most of them are extinct and only two main ones are left; Christianity and Judaism. Christian myself, but those jews aren't all that bad."

"Jews?" Garrus asked. First religion, now these 'jews'?

"Oh, they're the people who follow Judaism. Trust me, they are very zealous when it comes to that shit. I'm Christian, but it doesn't mean I'm ultrareligious. I don't go to church to pray to the holy one every Sunday, I just do it occassionally. More of a Atheist actually. Oh and, uh, that's not really a religion, its basically where you don't believe in a god. Its...complicated, I know." Garrus nodded his head hesitantly as he watched the human, his body language spoke of someone who was desperately trying to teach to a shatha what a salarian liver tastes like. On second thought, he'd never tasted salarian liver himself.

"Well...I should get going. Lots to do. Good luck with the Executor." With that, Bailey simply shook the turians hand before walking in the opposite direction, towards the employees' offices. Garrus continued on his way towards the elevator, prepared to speak with the executor.

Time for change.

**"I know you're feeling confused right now, but we need to ask you a few questions."**

**\- Interrogator Carter Dielheart**

**"Where am I? What the fuck is this?"**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001.**


	4. War Without, And Within

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard learns the reality of his mission. Tali runs into trouble on Illium. Garrus is stone walled.

**ENIGMA**

**CHAPTER TWO:**

**WAR WITHOUT, AND WITHIN**

_June 9, 2183_

_0915 hours._

_Cockpit, Normandy-Class Stealth Frigate SSV Normandy SR-1, In FTL inbound for Eden Prime._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Flight Lieutenant Jeff 'Joker' Moreau, Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko._

"Commander" Pressly nodded at Marcus as he moved past the navigator, heading for the cockpit. Marcus' only response was a brisk nod before his attention returned to the flight deck ahead of him. All Pressly did was return to his console, his gaze fixed on a conversation with one of the crew; Adams by the voice. He could still hear the conversation as he headed up the flight deck, and it made it quite clear where Pressly stood.

"A turian spectre? Nihlus? What is he doing on a shakedown run? It simply doesn't add up. None of it does. Why are we here Adams?" Pressly's voice sounded curious but concerned all at the same time.

"Quit your worrying Pressly. I'm sure the alliance brass has their reasons. They've probably got some kind of surprise cooked up for us." Adams said in a less concerned voice; his voice was cool and calm. He was sure convinced of himself, that much was obvious.

"That's what worries me..." were the last words Marcus heard from the conversation as Marcus finished his march up the stairs, standing to the left of a familiar figure, his stoic pose in the entrance of the cockpit recognizable from a mile away; Nihlus. The turian seemed to be blankly staring out the cockpit window, the stars nothing but warped lines as the ship travelled Faster Than Light, aka FTL. Just as he stopped, he watched the ship approach a familiar, monolithic form. The Mass Relay he was looking at pulsed with blue energy. The core was the source of the light; a single sphere of a mass amount of eezo, aka Element Zero, was stored and was circled by two rotating rings that intersected every rotation. The rest of the sphere was surrounded by a unusual structure. The structure had miniture blue lights all over and had similiarities to a horizontal tuning fork, the middle part of the end removed. It was on unusual design, but its purpose wasn't. When close enough, a bolt of element zero energy would impact the ship and act like a slingshot, shooting the ship at Faster Than Sound, aka FTS, across the galaxy and to the connected relay in another cluster in a matter of seconds. Not only did this reduce hours or years of travel to a couple of seconds, but it allowed fast transportation inbetween clusters. Efficient, fast and it allowed supply routes to remain interconnected. Mass Relays were also indestructible; they could not be destroyed. Their was a myth that one had been destroyed, but it was so forth unconfirmed. The Protheans certainly built things to last.

He watched steadily as the Normandy steadily approached the relay and Joker's voice reined in the cabin, "five seconds to relay. Four, three, two, one. Shoot." Marcus watched as the bolt of energy enveloped the Normandy and everyone was blinded by pure blue light. Within seconds it was over, and they were looking at the connected relay, continuing their course for Eden Prime. They certainly hadn't been exaggerating about the speed of the travel between relays. Joker's status update came through the cabin and only now did Marcus notice Kaidan seated in his usual spot; to the right of Joker.

"Speed is 300kph and rapidly increasing as we enter FTL. ETA to Eden Prime is one hour, four minutes. Drift...just under 1500k." Joker didn't sound serious even when trying to be. The man always seemed to be in a comical mood, making comedy out of everything he did. Maybe it was a gift he grew up with or maybe it was something Anderson or his original superiors just had to put up with. Nihlus' voice broke his thoughts.

"1500 is good. Your captain will be pleased." With that, Nihlus simply marched back down the flight deck to presumably meet with captain Anderson in his cabin, not that Marcus really cared. The more time he spent away from the turian, the better. He also got the nagging feeling that the turian was deliberately following him; as every time he turned around, Nihlus would be there. It was something that was not only frustrating him, but making him curious to no end. As soon as Nihlus was off the cockpit, Marcus took his chance and stood up next to Joker in his seat, almost right behind him, but just off to his left. He could hear Joker's voice as he stood next to him, low and loathing, but still with that lingering tone of comedy.

"I hate that guy. Remember to zip up your jumpsuit on your way out of the bathroom? That's good. I just jumped through a relay and hit a target the size of a pinhead, so that's incredible! Besides, Spectres are trouble. I don't like having them onboard. Call me paranoid." As Marcus listened to Joker, he couldn't help but notice even more how egotistical the man was, boasting about his achievements and how good his skills were. Shepard hated people with egos, they always had some kind of agenda to screw you over or they had some delusional dream that they'll make history in some part of the future. Those kind of men were selfish pricks, but Joker? Joker was a different kind of prick; the prick you grew to like after awhile and eventually befriend.

"You're paranoid. The Council helped fund this project, so they have the right to send someone to keep an eye on their investment. In this case, a turian spectre, Nihlus." Kaidan's reply was low and calm, not a frustrated retort which showed an amount of discipline; he didn't throw a tantrum like most recruits did when they didn't want to admit they were wrong. Kaidan was definitely a well-trained soldier, not a rookie. He earned his rank...just like him. Joker's response was almost immediate, but he certainly didn't raise his tone.

"Yeah, that's the official story. But only an idiot believes the official story." It was now that Marcus stopped listening to the conversation and actually thought it through. Joker had a point. The official story was always publisized to appeal to the greater audience, but that didn't mean it was nessacarily true. Most of the time it was all bullshit made to feed on a citizen's optimistic mind; to make them believe all was perfect in their perfect little world. Nothing was perfect though, and as long as people like the batarians existed, peace was nothing but a fantasy, optimism at its peak. For once since joining the Normandy crew, he finally agreed with something the pilot had brought up. He opened his mouth to speak.

"Joker's right. The turian spectre makes sense when you think of it from Kaidan's side of the argument, but why me? Why a man like Anderson? Why you two? Why Pressly, Adams, Chakwas and Jenkins? On a shakedown run? And why is Eden Prime coincidentally our destination when I just happened to have saved that colony myself years ago? None of this adds up. It oozes secrecy." He wasn't surprised when a grin creased along the pilot's features, the man obviously feeling smug due to his self-proclaimed victory. Marcus was going to say that he'd thought he'd made it clear that both he and Kaidan were correct, but he decided against it.

"I'm telling you, there is something else Anderson and Nihlus isn't telling us. Whatever's about to happen at Eden Prime, I doubt its anything like a simple shakedown run." Those were Joker's only words as Anderson's voice seemingly coming through the pilot's terminal. "Joker. Status Report." Anderson's voice was back into his usual professional tone, strict, strong and unwithering. Joker's voice was nowhere near as demanding as Anderson's as he responded, "Everything's running smooth captain. ETA to Eden Prime is fifty-seven minutes." Marcus simply listened in as Anderson's voice came back in, his voice the same tone but a tinge more rushed, "Good. Find us a comm buoy and link us into the network. I want mission updates being relayed to Alliance brass before we reach Eden Prime." Marcus raised a brow at that.  _Mission updates? I knew this was more than a shakedown run. Noone lists a shakedown run as a mission._ "Roger that captain. Oh, and you'd...better brace yourself captain, I think Nihlus is headed your way."

"He's already here, Lieutenant," Marcus held back a chuckle as Joker rolled his eyes at Anderson's irritated response, before the man refocused on the terminal, "Inform the commander I want to meet him in the debriefing room immediately. Its about the mission. Anderson out." With that, Anderson's voice disappeared from the terminal as Joker gave his recognition, switching the terminal back to the flight statistics. Joker's words weren't nessacary, as Marcus as he'd already turned to leave, but it gained a chuckle from the N7 at least.

"Time to find out what 'ol Andy is hiding from us, make sure he and winnie the pooh aren't secretly plotting against the Council or something." Even Kaidan seemed to laugh a little as Marcus marched down the flight deck, walking past the galactic map and a saluting Pressly, before entering the debriefing room, the door sliding shut behind him. The Briefing Room was quite simple in design; a oval sized viewscreen allowed for video transmissions, while three pedestals lay in front of it for direct holographic communications. The room was illuminated by a white light, while the middle seemed to be a raised platform surrounded by simple railing. The room was circular in shape, with four, simple chairs on each side. The circumfrance of the room was lined with multiple panels. The room was entirely devoid of anyone except a single figure; Nihlus. Marcus was opening his mouth as the spectre turned around, his arms crossed as he approached him. The man was standing right next to the holopedestals as he turned.

"Ah. Commander Shepard, I was hoping to get a moment with you. Captain Anderson is on his way."

Marcus let his hands rest behind his back as he fixed a static stare at the turian as he walked into the middle of the room, the spectre insisting on remaining on the left side of the room. The N7 didn't know if turians could smile or not, but if they could, then Nihlus was right now. Marcus simply didn't know whether he should be annoyed by the turian's demeanour, or intrigued. Either way, the turian didn't wait for Marcus' response before speaking, "This planet we're heading to, Eden Prime, I've heard its quite beautiful." Marcus couldn't help but get the nagging feeling that Nihlus was stalling, but he couldn't deny the truth in the turian's words. Eden Prime was one of the most beautiful planets colonized by man; a space hawaii by comparison. The planet was enriched with amazing scenery, swaths of vibrant green jungle swamped all over the planet, with litte colonies on almost every continent of the planet. Three quarters of the planet was land, with a tiny quarter of it being ocean. To say it was a beautiful planet was nothing short of a understatement.

"They say its a paradise. But I don't see how any of this is relevant. Is there something you specifically want to know, or are we going to gossip about colonial beauty spots?" Marcus' irritation levels were reaching his peak. His father, Charles Shepard, was a less controlled men like him. He was prone to anger much more, but thanks to medication, the man had become a excellent infiltrator for the Alliance. Marcus was a different breed of soldier though. He was of the Vanguard classification; he loved his shotgun and assault rifle, but his ability to utilize a third weapon; his biotics, made him a lethal shock trooper on the battlefield, one any soldier would have feared. Marcus wasn't his father, his father loved the art of stealth, but him? No, Marcus Shepard craved heavy weapons and huge explosions; not to mention badass gravity-distorting abilities.

"Humanity has made great advances since your admission into the galaxy community. To think you've only been around for thirty years, and you've achieved so much. Eden Prime is a clear example that your people cannot only make thriving colonies, but defend them as equally. But how safe is it really? How long does it take before a stronger force attacks you? Didn't the batarians exploit this?" Marcus raised a brow at the turian as Nihlus uncrossed his arms and looked blankly at the screen, but not long after, he turned to Shepard again, as if waiting for an answer.

"Is humanity truly ready to join the Council? The galaxy is a very dangerous place." Nihlus stood in his usual stoic pose as Marcus looked at him with a frown.

"Join the Council? What do you mean...?"

"I think its time we told the commander what's really going on."

Marcus recognized the burly voice of Anderson as he turned to the man, the old veteran entering the room and stopping next to Nihlus, on his left. Marcus cocked his head in confusion at both Nihlus and Anderson, confused at what was going on. He had a strange feeling that he knew what was going on, but he didn't dae mention it. Instead, Marcus played the 'unaware' pretence.

"What is going on Captain?" Marcus asked, his voice dripping with curiosity, more than he intended, but he couldn't help it. If this had something to do with the shakedown run, then he wanted to know desperately. Everything about the mission was just one piece of bullshit after another. He would demand answers, but this was a Captain, he was his subordinate. He didn't get to make demands, but it didn't mean he couldn't ask legitimate questions. Anderson's jawline tensed up before he answered, a sigh escaping his lips. But it was Nihlus who answered first.

"This is far more than a simple shakedown run." The turian said almost casually, like he'd been talking about what his favourite food was to a family member. Anderson nodded as the words finally came out.

"Nihlus is correct. You...were correct. We knew it was obvious, but we couldn't tell anyone except you. This is a classified mission. If word of this got out to the Terminus System, war could erupt over the beacon." Marcus immediately snapped his look towards Anderson upon the word 'beacon'.

"Beacon? What is this is 'beacon'? Is this what the whole mission is about?" Marcus asked. What the hell kind of a 'beacon' could start an all out war between Council Space and the Terminus Systems? It must have been pretty important. A weapon of some sort? Maybe...a bomb? Or an ancient transmitter...or...oh shit, no, it couldn't be...

"Two weeks ago, some miners at Eden Prime unearthed some kind of beacon. It was Prothean." Anderson's face matched the shock of Marcus'. The Protheans were a advanced race of aliens that had lived fifty thousand years ago. They had built the mass relays and the Citadel the galaxy now called their capital, while their race had a vast intergalactic empire that spanned the entire galaxy. They were said to have been noble explorers, making peace wherever they went. Then they vanished. Fifty thousand years ago they disappeared off the galactic map, without a trace. The only evidence of their existence left was the mass relays, Citadel and tiny snippets of prothean ruins scattered throughout the milky way. Otherwise, noone would have known they existed. The Prothean people had simply vanished from the galaxy, going off to some unknown galaxy or sanctuary, leaving no evidence that they ever existed except their creations. The entire galaxy, including the first species to enter the cosmos; the asari, had their technology based off the Protheans. The protheans were the only species to have developed such technology; not even the asari, the most advanced species in the galaxy, had rivalled the Protheans in technological achievement. And still, even now, noone knows exactly what happened to them. There are lots of theories, but most of them were dismissed as simple myth.

"Prothean? Is that what this is all about? Is the Alliance afraid that the batarians will get wind of this? Or Terminus mercenaries? Do you really think a simple beacon would be enough to envoke full-scale war?" Marcus bombarded them with questions, wanting desperately to find out all the answers about this classified mission. It was obvious now why Shepard was in charge of a squad and they XO of the Alliance's most advanced warship; they wanted to be able to combat and repel any mercenary attack. But why was the beacon so important that they sent a stealth frigate with a heavily-armed and equipped three-man squad? Did this beacon hold secrets of some kind? Or was this beacon not real? And it was all just a conveninent lie to cover up the real mission. What if they were covering up bullshit with more bullshit? No. Anderson wasn't that kind of man, and if Nihlus really was sent by the Council...no, this was real. That beacon was the source of all this, and he wanted to know why.

Anderson nodded, "Yes, Marcus. Its not the beacon itself we're afraid will spark a war, no, this could be the most historically significant archaelogical discovery in the history of the galaxy; we've never found intact Prothean technology like this; certainly nothing like the Mars Archives. And the Alliance can't just keep this to themselves, no, the consequences for withholding working prothean technology of any sort are very harsh. Some of the harshest in Council Space. That's not what will start a war, its location is. You know where Eden Prime is located, do you not? You realize its not in Council Space, right?"

"Its in the Attican Traverse. Which borders with..." Marcus began, but he didn't need to finish. Nihlus did it for him instead.

"...the Terminus Systems. Those lawless scum have made it quite clear where they stand. Anyone from Council space found entering their space will be declared warmongers and they will immediately declare war. We need to retrieve that beacon, but if we don't do it quietly, the Terminus will get wind of us and the next thing you know we'll have Palaven being swarmed by mercenary outlaws and their fleets. Batarians are also on good terms with the Terminus, they wouldn't hesitate in joining this conflict. Many krogan also flourish in the Terminus. Full-scale war is not something the Council needs, Commander. That is why we need the Normandy. Its stealth drives allow us to slip in undetected to quickly extract the beacon so it can be transported to the Council themselves at the Citadel."

"I understand. My team will be ready, sir." Marcus stated, snapping his hand up in a salute. Anderson nodded before speaking again.

"There is one more thing you should know. Nihlus isn't just here for the beacon. I believe he mentioned 'humanity joining the Council', did he not?" Marcus looked at Nihlus and then back to Anderson, his hand resting back at his side, nodding as he went. "I believe that question remains unanswered, captain." Marcus' voice held no malice, but he wasn't exactly happy. He wanted to know what Nihlus meant by that. Had it been a threat? Maybe the turians were looking to have a reenactment of the First Contact War? No...the turians may still dislike humanity, but they certainly weren't looking for another war, no matter how militaristic they were. Nihlus' face simply creased into a turian smile, his mandibles twitching as Anderson continued speaking.

"To become a member of the Council, you can't just smile at them and shake their hands. No, you have to prove your worthy of helping govern the galactic community. That is another reason the Spectres exist. Now it doesn't always work like that, but Spectres are usually the catalyst. Whenever a species wants to become a Council member, they usually elect a member of their people who them deem worthy to become a Spectre. That spectre must prove him or herself by doing a great deed for the Council or doing something for the good of the galaxy. Once they have done that, they have proven that their species is worthy and become a Council member, furthering the interests of their people as a whole."

"So...one of us is becoming a Spectre?" Marcus asked, seemingly curious as to who was being nominated. He was surprised when Nihlus answered.

"Not someone, Commander. You." Marcus snapped his look back to the turian, the look of shock on his face almost comical. Did he just hear that right?

"Me? I'm...a Spectre?" To say Marcus was flabbergasted was a understatement. He was a Spectre; not only was he free of any authority in the Alliance, meaning he could disobey a superior's direct order and get away with it since he was now technically a paramilitary black ops agent, but he was also free of the law, being above it and all. That didn't mean he'd abuse his authority, but he'd certainly use it to save the galaxy. He was a soldier, not just for humanity now but for the whole galaxy. He was the Council's sword, and he'd do his best to sharpen its blade.

"Not yet, no. You've been nominated for candidacy in the Spectres. You must earn your place as a Spectre. That is why Nihlus is here. The Council has sent him to evaluate you. If he's impressed, then you'll complete the test and present yourself before the Council as they grant you candidacy." Anderson explained. This didn't down Shepard's hopes; no, that was motivation. He was Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, he wasn't a quitter, he was a pusher. He pushed until his goal was met, no forfeiting. Quitters were the batarians, and those scum ended up self-sympathetic and ran away to hide in Kite's Nest. No, he would be a Spectre by the end of this month. He was sure of it. Nihlus nodded.

"Eden Prime will be the first of several missions together. You will command your squad, but I shall watch you. I urge you not to make a fool of yourself by foolish sense of bravado, Commander. I hope I'm clear on that." Marcus sighed at the turian's ignorance. What gave him the impression that he was a reckless fool? Was it Jenkins? The man was young, but he wasn't foolish. And this turian just seemed to be plain ignorant. That would hopefully change the longer he served alongside the Spectre. Maybe his life really had taken a turn for the best. Marcus simply saluted.

"Is this all? If so, I'd like to inform the crew and especially; my squad."

"Of course. We should be reaching Eden Prime soon-" Anderson's voice was almost immediately cut off by Joker, his voice hurried and...worried? Joker sounded worried for once? That meant one thing; something urgent was happening, and it wasn't good.

"Captain! We have a priority one transmission coming in from Eden Prime! Its a distress call! Eden Prime is under attack!" Even Nihlus, for all his stoic demeanour was now positively shocked; this had not been the way he had planned the original mission. But for Marcus? No, this was his chance to prove himself. To become the soldier they needed him to be. They didn't think him worthy? He'd prove them wrong. Anderson's voice was urgent as he approached the viewscreen, "On screen, Joker!" Marcus knew what was running through his mind. What if the mercenaries or batarians had already tapped into Alliance transmissions? No, to well encrypted for them, that must mean it was a random attack on what just happened to be a priority target. Too coincidental, but the only option. As prompted, the viewscreen lit up with a image of Eden Prime, but not at all in its prime. The speakers were flooded with the staccato beat of gunfire. The screen was covered with the moving forms of alliance marines assuming defensive positions as gunfire roared across the screen. The shots he saw were unusual; they wore a purple visage while sounding much more plasmatic. Not of any type of weapon he had heard of. He watched as marines screamed out warnings and orders, while others fell dead on the ground. A single soldier's face appeared on screen, her features showing that of someone who was terrified out of her mind.

"This is Private First Class Nirali Bhatia, Second Frontier Division, Concord Squad under the command of Staff Sergeant Stephen Banner, now KIA. Eden Prime is under attack by unknown synthetic forces! We are heavily outnumbered...," an explosion erupted nearby causing debris to fall everywhere. The woman seemed to recover, her accent hinting towards someone of indian heritage, not to mention the name, "They came out of nowhere! They have somekind of mothership! I've never seen anything like it, its...HUGE! I think they're..." This time, it was a gunshot that interrupted the recording and this time, the woman didn't recover. The gunshot ruptured her head, blood splattering all over the lens as the body fell limp to the ground. Another feminine voice was heard in the background, the visage of a woman in white, female Phoenix armor running past, shouting, "Nirali! Damn it! Everybody-"

The rest was cut off by static.

"That's it. No more transmissions leave the planet. I've tried linking us to a comm buoy, but nothing happens. Just static. There's nothing." Joker's voice sounded regretful, like he'd been responsible for the deaths of so many noble and brave alliance marines. It was obvious it wasn't his fault, but his tone suggested melancholy at what he'd done. It was one of those rare moments that Joker actually dumped his comedic act and acted like he was actually part of the Alliance Navy.

"Reverse and hold at 38.5." Anderson ordered, his voice sounding serious and concerned. He'd spotted something in the distress call and Marcus was curious as to what. Nihlus seemed to be curious as well, as the turian spectre had leaned in closer for a better look, not that he needed to though. Marcus watched as it rewind back to the spot just before the first explosion. Anderson's voice was clear through the entire room. "What in god's name is that...?" For the first time since he'd met the N7 veteran, Marcus had heard fear in the man's voice, his face was creased in a look of pure worry and even Nihlus seemed like he was shitting himself. Marcus looked closer at the recording and finally saw it, looming in the background. It was a ship of somekind, massive in scope, easily dwarfing three dreadnoughts, close to the ground, but this was a vessel unlike anything he'd ever seen before. Most of the ship was hidden by the lush jungle of the planet, but the front of it was covered in blood red armor plating that was shaped like bug armor, while the forward section had what looked like three large legs poking out of it, both equally as monolithic. Marcus was shocked at the fact that the ship was actually standing, a ship was standing! Whatever ship this was, it sure as hell wasn't of any known species.

The recording continued from the still image and the ship seemed to let out a deafening synthetic roar, reminiscent of a high-pitched, dark horn, one that sent chills down your spine and was one that held the pretence of your darkest nightmares. And then, just like that, one side of the ship lit up ruby red, and a pulsing, crimson beam shot out from under one of the legs and hit the ground, a colossal explosion following it, sending an entire platoon of marines in the background flying. That had to be the mothership Nirali was talking about, and if it was, the firepower it packed would require more than the frigate they had to engage and destroy it. They didn't even know what shields or armor it packed, or what other weapon systems it had.

"Nihlus...get to the armoury and get equipped. Meet us in the Cargo Port." Anderson ordered the Spectre. The spectre immediately nodded and ran out of the debriefing room in a hurried fashion, the door sliding shut behind the turian's retreating form. Anderson immediately turned to Marcus, his face radiating authority. "Time to get suited up, Commander. You're going in. Assemble Jenkins and Kaidan down in the armoury and get comfortable in your armor and weapons. I think we have more to worry about then a simple batarian attack. This might be a declaration of war, but whatever species it is, it ain't any we know of. This could be a first contact situation, so keep it clean. I'll meet you in the Cargo hold." With that, Anderson snapped a quick salute that Marcus soon reciprocated before he spun on his heels and left, leaving Marcus alone to gaze at the still image of the nightmarish mothership of untold power. Nothing in his life prepared him for this. How big was that ship? He hadn't even caught the full scope of it!

Leaving the room, Marcus exited the debriefing room only to hear Dr. Chakwas arguing with someone. Turning he left, a marine bumped into him, reeling back as Dr. Chakwas chastised him for his carelessness. Turning, Marcus saw it was Jenkins. The man's face lit up like a christmas tree, his feature radiating joy at seeing his commander or in the corporal's place, his inspiring idol of worship.

"Commander! I heard you, Anderson and Nihlus were having a meeting. Does it have to do with what's going on?" As usual, Jenkins spoke in a rapidfire language that came with young age; the youthful were always careless towards their superiors, never understanding until they are the superior that you can't understand what the hell they are saying. Deciding not to hurt the corporal's feelings, he decided to answer his question.

"Yes. This was far more than a simple shakedown run..." he didn't get to finish as Kaidan shouted, "Fuck!" down the flight deck, causing everyone to look at him. Joker's chuckle followed, "I knew it! But no, Kaidan's all 'alliance privacy and regulations.' Suck it blue!" Marcus simply chuckled at them before turning back to Jenkins to finish what he was saying, surprised that the corporal's posture hadn't changed at all, "Some archaelogists at Eden Prime unearthed a working, functioning Prothean beacon but the Alliance can't retrieve it for the Council due to Eden Prime's location in the Attican Traverse and its proximity to the Terminus. So, they sent us to help retrieve it, with me, Jenkins and Kaidan being the guards against any mercenary attack. But plans have changed." Chakwas, who had been trying to stop Jenkins before, was now listening in, and now looked positively curious as to what happened. So did Jenkins, to noone's surprise. Clearing his throat, he continued.

"Eden Prime just sent out a general distress call. Alliance forces in charge of defending the colony are under attack from hostile synthetic forces of unknown origin or designation. They appear to have a flagship of somekind with immense power and design we've never seen before. It certainly doesn't belong to any known species. The thing could stand up, it had legs. And the bloody thing was so gigantic it dwarfed three dreadnoughts. It also has advanced weaponry that I watched decimate an entire platoon of soldiers in a single shot. Whatever weaponry it packs, its definitely not Mass accellerator weapons. Anderson wants Nihlus and us to deploy onto the ground, secure the beacon and assist in saving the colony. Those are the mission parameters. Jenkins, go fetch Kaidan and meet me at the others in the Cargo Hold. Get suited up, because we're going in."

Now Jenkins looked like a hopping bunny, he was close to jumping up and down, his face creased in such a broad smile, his beret seemingly still stationary, "Finally! A chance to prove to everyone what I can do! I won't disappoint you, Commander!" Marcus shook his head at the man's bravado. He was young and would learn, but if this man thought war was fun he was gravely mistaken. And he certainly wouldn't have him using the mission as a field test. That was plain unacceptable.

"This isn't 'run around the oval and shoot some dummies' Corporal. This is live rounds, blood-pumping, full-adrenaline warfare. These things...they won't hesitate in killing you. I watched them slaughter an entire division of soldiers, one by one. This isn't a game, so slap yourself out of your bravado and suit up, because this isn't the time for games, this isn't 'impress the commander and get a medal' time, this is 'shoot first, ask questions later' time. Am I clear Corporal, or will I be finding myself a new marksman?" This is what Marcus did best, leading troops. He knew how to strike fear into them, and when to boost morale. Its how he had advanced up the ranks so fast, he was a natural leader, not some guy who thought raising his voice qualified to make him a veteran commando. He was born for the job...just like his father.

Jenkins' demeanour seemed to die down a little, and he immediately tensed up, snapping a salute at his commander, "Yes sir! I won't disappoint! They won't even see the rifle firing, sir!" Marcus almost laughed out loud. Jenkins may have been a youthful abundance of joy on the outside, but locked up inside was a soldier, one that just needed to be released. The man was now a statue almost, his hand firm and his muscles flexed to the point of veins beginning to pop out from under the skin. A pure soldier, Jenkins was a perfect image of when Marcus himself had been a simple corporal. He had once been in Jenkins' position, with his commander barking down at him. With his orders rolling around in the man's brain, the now soldier-Jenkins marched up towards the flight deck. Marcus nodded at Dr. Chakwas, the doctor shaking her head in amusement and muttering something like, 'soldiers' and then walking over to Pressly and starting up a conversation. Marcus then approached the door to his left and accessed the console, heading down the stairs towards the elevator. The image of that warship still rolled around his mind, coupled with Joker's words from before.

_"Whatever's about to happen at Eden Prime, I doubt its anything like a simple shakedown run."_

**{Loadingggggzzzgggg...} {Malfunction, reintializing}**

"I've never shown my face to anyone..."

**{Unknown file access. Attempting to recover File Three...Recovered}**

**{Loading...}**

_June 15, 2183 (Translated Khelish Time)_

_Tenth Hour, Five Minutes._

_Business Port, Nos Astra Dock, Nos Astra, Illium._

_Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Marine Escort Keenah'Butras vas Rayya._

Illium. The fleet had never really visited many of the colonies owned by the other species; Humans, Turians, Salarians, Asari, Hanar, Elcor and Volus. The fleet only visited uninhabited worlds for resources, and that was it. But Illium? The fleet always visited Illium for refueling, as they were the only alien colony, or asari colony in this case, that actually welcomed them. All the others waved them off with the same threat, 'leave or we will shoot you out of orbit.' Illium was simply a testament to the wonders of asari architecture. The vast city scape of Nos Astra was beautiful, serene and if not for the insane amount of traffic; tranquil. The design of asari buildings was sleek and advanced, most of their buildings taking on golden outlines, while using silvery circumfrances. Tiny dots moved to and from buildings, the numerous cars, trucks and transports gliding through the grand metropolis. The place was beauty in itself; a wonderous place to behold. It didn't hold a candle to Thessia, the asari homeworld, but it was still an astonishing sight. But all of it was just a deceptive mask; Illium was located in the Terminus System and all though it still had laws, there was alot of traps. If you weren't careful, you could find yourself the victim of being tied to a contract; indentured servitude was a big thing on Illium and almost all of the big contractors had indentured servants, to humans, slaves.

Tali and Keenah hopefully wouldn't have to contend with that, they were here to provide important evidence to the Illium authorities. This information was so important. Without it, the entire galaxy would be unaware of the genocidal machine race that was intent on wiping them out. If these people don't find out soon and prepare, then there might not be authorities to warn. The Nos Astra Dock wasn't anything fancy; the room was lit up by a hybrid of purple and blue light, the architecture of the room was the typical asari cultured design. Tali was standing at the back of the room awaiting the security forces arrival. They had contacted Illium security upon their landing and organized a meeting in the docks. Her shotgun was stuck to the magnetic clamp on her waist and her pistol to the magnet on her hip. Keenah stood behind her, assault rifle also strapped to his back. The docking officials had been initially hesitant about letting two quarians or as they dubbed them 'suit-rats' onto Illium, but they eventually gave in once they heard about the information they carried, although it was reluctant.

If they ever needed to escape quickly, their shuttle was located only meters away. The young girl was getting quite impatient; security had promised to come twenty-one minutes ago, and there was no way it took as long as they were taking to get here. Tali checked her chrono again.  _Tenth Hour, Six Minutes._ If anyone had been able to see her face, they'd see that the woman was very frustrated. How anyone would be able to stand being kept up like this, it was outrageous. She shared a glance with Keenah, who's expression was simple; crossed arms while leaning against the wall. Of course Keenah could stand this stuff, he was a marine. He had experience with standing in formation for hours on end, the man could stand there for as many hours as he wanted and not even budge. Tali simply returned to staring up ahead, her look pensive. She wondered what her father was doing right now, what the afterlife with the ancestors was like and how Shala was doing. It was all she could do to keep herself from getting incredibly bored.

Then, finally, as if her prayers had been answered, the bright white uniforms of numerous Illium security personnel. Most of them were asari, that was expected, but two of them were salarians and another one a turian. Asari were the images of natural beauty, their entire species were the images of females, but they were actually monogendered. Their entire skin tone was a light blue, while the rest of their body was similiar to a human; they had five fingers and toes, breasts and the same human anatomy, save the sexual organs. Their heads were also human, except they lacked hair, which was replaced with tentacles that linked behind their heads, and wasn't the wriggly kind, thee tenacles were solid. All asari were also natural biotics; while others became biotics through exposure to element zero, asari were biotics upon birth. Their entire race were biotics; going to war with them would be costy, even the turians or krogan wouldn't risk it. The asari were also said to have mind-melding abilities; being able to link minds together. This also served as the asari's way of reproduction; they had sex in the human tense, but instead of...well...fertilization, they 'uploaded' the baby's genetic code into the mind of their mate or took the genetic code if the mate was male, and that was how they became pregnant. It was a odd way of reproduction, but it worked...for them at least. Everything about the asari was feminine; if not for their monogendered status, Tali would have thought them all female.

The asari in the front motioned for Keenah and herself to approach, a look of disgust on her face. One of the salarians looked unperturbed, but the others were just disgusted, absolutely repulsed by the idea of quarians on their beautiful planet. Both salarians and the turian looked like they were armed with avenger assault rifles, aside from the turian, who was curiously armed with a reaper model sniper rifle, which was unusual due to the close range of their encounter; she had expected a shotgun at this range. As Tali and Keenah stopped in front of the asari, she spoke.

"You the quarians that just docked?" The asari asked rather rudely. Tali tried to answer diplomatically; combating rudeness with more rudeness would get her nowhere.

"Yes, but those quarians have a-"

"Shut up suit rat! Don't talk back to your superiors, you inferior piece of excrement!" The asari spat at her, with as much venom and malice as she could manage. Bits of saliva collected on Tali's mask, but she wiped it away and directed a strong glare at the asari. But it was Keenah who retaliated.

"Back the hell off you  _bosh'tet uhrarniz!_ " He shouted. The asari didn't budge, but the others immediately raised their rifles at the hostile quarian, who immediately raised his. Tali didn't know what to do but continue to glare at the asari racist. She also wanted to cry. Everything told to her about the galaxy was a lie; a false tale. The many species of the galaxy weren't fond of quarians, they despised them. Keenah had told her after escaping Gei Hinnom everything, but she didn't fully believe it until it happened. Everyone in the galaxy hated quarians for being...quarians. The highest form of racism in the galaxy. She had heard stories that the fleet had tried to colonize many planets as a new homeworld, but the Council had either bombarded it, or threatened to, or they claimed it was more suited for turians, as only the turians and the quarians were dextro-amino in acid chirality; all other species were levo-amino, including humans. The fleet was nicknamed as 'locust', as every system they passed ended up being cleansened of resources, consumed by her nomadic people, condemned to the stars by their own creations. Trapped in suits for the rest of their miserable existence. Doomed to the racism they brought upon themselves. But why would they deserve such racism when they were just trying to survive? Wouldn't the turians do the same? And the asari, salarians, elcor, hanar, humans. But they needed this information, she couldn't let petty grudges stop her from saving the galaxy at large. Just when they thought the security officers would open fire, the asari's raidio crackled to life. The asari reached up to her ear, keying the comm as the unaudioable voice came through, the asari nodding at the unhearable commands. When it looked like she was done, she let her hand fall and returned to her levelled rifle, moving it to aim at Tali's visor.

"Just received new orders. A man named Jacobus just reported in saying you were just like the rest of your people; vagabonds, beggars and thieves. Your so called evidence is just fake, your looking for credits you pathetic sack! You liars!" Tali looked at the asari in shock. Whoever this Jacobus was, turian by the name, was lying.  _Keelah, if he's working for this Saren, then that must mean Saren knows we're on to him and sent one of his agents to kill me and Keenah. Or slow us down. Keelah, we have to do something!_

"Please, we're not lying, I swear! We have evidence that a turian named Saren Arterius has a army of geth and is planning to invade Council space! You have to listen to-" The asari simply chuckled, causing Tali to stop in confusion. Keenah still had his rifle raised, alternating between the officers, waiting to fire and take down the racist bosh'tets. The officers simply looked at the quarians, shaking their heads while grins creased their facial features.

"Saren Arterius? Army of Geth? Invasion of Council Space? Ha! You're hilarious! Saren Arterius is the most successful, ruthless, but successful and most loyal spectre to the Council. The turian would never betray them! And Army of geth? Noone, not even Saren, can convince the geth to join them! Those damn machines think only for themselves and have killed every organic trying to enter the Veil! And why the hell would we care about those political bludgeoning morons! They are so far up in their 'lawful and civilized' crap that they hardly realize what idiots they look like! While Illium is a Terminus colony, we will continue to not give two fucks about those idiots! Let them burn! And then we will rise back up and claim the land taken!" The asari finished with a triumphant voice, as if she was somekind of krogan warlord preaching oncoming victory.

"Are you kidding? Mercenaries won't stand a chance against the full might of the geth armada! And they won't stop with Council space. They're planning to bring back their gods, the ones called the Reapers! Please, if you don't listen-" Tali pleaded.

"No, quarian, we've done our fair share of listening, now we shall talk, and you will listen! Take your soldier friend and get the hell of Illium before we give you so many suit ruptures, you'll be sprawling on the ground coughing up blood and dying of infection!" The asari's voice rose to a cacophony, the other guards tightening the grip on their weapons. They all fixed stares of hate at them, not caring that they just rejected information vital to their survival. Tali looked at them pleadingly, but knew it was a lost battle, these people weren't going to listen. But who else would listen but the... _The Council themselves, of course! We should have gone to the Citadel in the first place!_ Tali was about to give up and leave, but Keenah's voice destroyed those plans.

"Bunch of racist assholes, you lot. Kal'Reegar warned me you were a bunch of retarded, self-righteous pricks. You call us useless suit-rats now, but it'd be a different story if your orbital defense fleet was blown up and we had your entire planet surrounded, because trust me! We have fifty thousand ships, I'm sure we could do it! Then you'd be the ones begging for mercy, you scumbags. Kal'Reegar is more of a man than any of you, he's more of an organic than all of you. Nah, you know what? You're more like geth than anything else." Tali swore that if Keenah hadn't been wearing a mask, she'd see him grinning. Why? Cause he had successfully pissed off Illium's security personnel. The asari looked shocked, but her rife stayed levelled, now aimed at Keenah. "You making threats quarian? You really willing to declare war against the asari republics? Cause if you attack Illium, that's what you'll be doing! A declaration of war!" The asari seemed sure of herself. Keenah simply continued, "You really don't think the Salarian Union, Turian Hierarchy, Asari Republics and Human Systems Alliance will give a  _reist_ about a Terminus colony? If you don't care about Council colonies, then why do you think they'd show any love to a Terminus colony? Hate goes both ways, asari. Come on Tali, we'll leave and find someone who isn't a degenerated primate. I'm actually surprised the asari are the most advanced species; I think the technology is all that's advanced. Intelligence is that of a  _Wumbri._ "

Without thought, Keenah dropped his weapon in his right hand and grabbed Tali's arm, pulling her towards the entrance. Tali just went along with it, watching as the asari and her comradaries lowered their weapons and moved back towards the exit. It wasn't long before they were back out on the majestic cityscape of Nos Astra. Keenah turned towards her as he holstered his weapon on his back and continued walking back to the shuttle, "Great. Now what, Miss Zorah? This is your pilgrimage. Where do we take this information, the Admiralty Board? They'll want to see it. They need to see it." Tali shook her head as she joined Keenah's side, turning to him.

"The information wouldn't be a proper pilgrimage gift, I need to prove my worth to the fleet. I can't do that by being a messenger. Besides, the admiralty can't use the information to the best of their ability. We need to get this in the hands of the Council themselves; they can get all the major races involved; Asari Republics, Turian Hierarchy, Salarian Union, Volus Protectorate, Hanar Primacy, Elcor Flotilla, Human Alliance, all of them. With them, then we contact the Migrant Fleet and they can have a formidable force ready to repel any geth assault and these Reapers won't stand a chance. I hope." Tali really had no idea what power these Reapers held. If they could extinquish the entire Prothean empire and wipe their species out completely leaving no trace, then what chance did they have? And surely there would have been multiple species during that period to fight with them to. And they were wiped out as well. All of a sudden their chances didn't seem as great. But unity was better than division. Divide and conquer was an enemy's greatest weapon, and they didn't see the Reapers coming, they would.

"Then we have to get to the Citadel, immediately. We'll refuel the shuttle at the Nos Astra Refueling station and then head straight to the Citadel. Let's hope they find this information worth the time, and let's hope their friendlier than the welcoming par-" Any other orders that Keenah was giving were cut off by a loud explosion and screaming. Out of instinct, Keenah leapt onto Tali and held her to the ground, using his body as a shield as he scoped out the area. Tali did the same, her eyes finding the source of the explosion; the docking bay. And it wasn't just any, randomly placed bomb, it was placed on their only form of transportation. The words escaped her lips before she could stop them, "The shuttle! OUR shuttle!" Keenah nodded solemnly as multiple civilians of many different species ran past in fear, running for the wherever there was to hide as the security guards from before ran in and took haphazard positions. Keenah shook his head as he stood up and offered a hand to Tali, the young girl taking it and standing up. Keenah immediately turned back to the officers, his military wisdom taking action.

"Your too spread out, you lack cohesion! Group together and your able to better coordinate your defense. It also turns you into a shield to protect the civilians from hostile fire. Are you sure you went through basic training before becoming security officers?" Keenah chastised. The officers looked at him bewildered, but the asari from before didn't waste any time in opening fire, verbally. "Aren't you meant to be gone, suit-rat?" Keenah shook his head, "I'm giving you advice, bosh'tet. Shove your racism aside to keep these civilians safe!" Tali shook her head as she ran ahead and into the docks, stopping beside the flaming wreck of the destroyed shuttle. Their only ticket to the Citadel; gone, destroyed. And why would these racists lone them a shuttle? Tali swore she heard a click of a weapon next to her and upon instinct, drew her katana shotgun and pointed it at the assumed source, immediately pulling the trigger. To her surprise she heard the shattering of shields and the dreadful sound of flesh being smashed. Turning she saw a now deceased salarian fall to the ground, his amphibian head blasted into a bloodied pulp by the slug of her shotgun. They call Katana's weak, but this thing packed a punch.

The striker pistol held by the salarian fell to the ground next to his body, purple blood pouring from his wound. He wore no uniform, hinting towards a hired mercenary. Blue Suns? Eclipse? Blood Pack? No, they were disciplined and actually had the nessacary uniform, no, this merc had no uniform to speak of; just a white tunic. Must have been a freelancer mercenary, and freelancers are after her.  _Jacobus. Has to be._ Tali immediately noticed a turian and human approaching her, the turian wielding a Terminator model assault rifle and the human a Banshee model. At the sight of the quarian woman brandishing a shotgun, the human primed a grenade but a shot rang out and impacted the grenade, causing it to explode in a crimson explosion, the human being ripped to pieces as the shrapnel hit the turian, causing him to tumble to the ground before assault rifle shots tore into his chest, killing him. Tali turned to see her rescuer, and saw Keenah approaching her, rifle still raised, the telltale beeping sound of a overheated assault rifle entering cooldown. The weapons had unlimited ammo, but if they were kept on automatic for sustained periods with no breaks in fire, they would eventually overheat, forcing the wielder to wait for it to cooldown, which was usually ten seconds, depending on the weapon; pistol, assault rifle, shotgun or sniper rifle. Heavy weapons were taken out of standard militaries due to the evolution of vehicular warfare, the need being outweighed by the evolution.

"Come on, ma'am. We'll have to find another way out of here." Keenah stated, motioning for her to follow him out of the docks. Tali cursed under her breath as she looked at the docks for a final time. Her entire pilgrimage had been a disaster; geth patrols, moronic racist security officers and now Saren was out for their heads and had blown up their only trip off Illium. She was trapped, walled off from her people with a well-trained quarian migrant fleet marine, who certainly wasn't anything like the company of friends like Kal'Reegar, who the best marine she knew, but was kind and friendly inside, unlike Keenah, who was pure marine all over. He protected her like a brother, but that didn't make him friendly, that just made him quarian. Ever since their exile, every quarian was family with each other. Keenah was considered a 'fleet-brother.' Kal felt more like a brother than anyone else. It wasn't love she felt for Kal, no, it wasn't anything like that, especially not for Kal, who stated he 'had no time for women or romance; I'm a soldier, through and through. Courting a woman isn't my thing; doesn't mean I don't want you as not just my fleet-sister, but my actual sister. Ma'am.' Tali almost giggled at that. Kal was so formal, he always insisted on calling her ma'am, and if her pilgrimage was completed, he'd have a reason to, because father would surely have her promoted to his head assistant or something. Providing she completed her pilgrimage and lived to tell about it.

Then she saw it, large as anything else around them. A single cargo ship, possibly a freighter, sat docked with the docks, looking as if it was prepared to leave. There was no way they would let them onboard, but if they stowed away... _No, that's breaking the law you fool! You'd only be giving the racists proof! Then again, there won't be a law if they don't get this information soon. This is galactic stability and safety we're talking about here! Keelah Tali, make up your mind! Think. What would Meru do? What would Meru ask you to do?_ Tali looked between Keenah and the cargo ship. Upon her third alternation, she had made her decision.  _She'd pick stowing away._ With that, she shouted at Keenah to follow her as she headed towards an exterior airlock.

"This is crazy ma'am, we could get caught..." Keenah began to object, but Tali shushed him with a raised index finger, using her 'amazing' hacking skills, one of her greatest talents, to open the airlock for them to sneak inside. Once they entered the dimly lit room covered in shipping crates, she turned to the door and closed it before speaking to Keenah, "Its our only option. I saw the intended destination. Its headed for the Citadel, supply run no doubt. Our way out. Hopefully this information will grant us the favor of the Council in getting a new ship to take back to the fleet. My pilgrimage is over, I've had enough of this galaxy. They don't like it they can go to hell." Keenah shook his head as he snuck behind a crate, Tali joining him.

"Crazy, Miss Zorah, but I'm loving the action. I haven't had this much action since my mission under Kal'Reegar to the planet Utukku. I'll explain later, its not important right now." Tali rolled her eyes as she felt the ship's docking clamps release.

_This is my destiny. My pilgrimage ends here._

**{Loading...}**

_June 16, 2183_

_1402 hours._

_Executor Palin's Office, Citadel Embassies, Shalta Wards, The Citadel._

_Detective Sergeant Garrus Vakarian, Executor Filicus Palin._

"The answer is no, Vakarian. I'm not going to change C-Sec policy just to accomadate your needs." Palin stated, his position unchanging. Garrus had since travelled to the Citadel Embassies on the Presidium ring of the Citadel, going to speak with Executor Filicus Palin, essentially the head president of Citadel Security. He ran the entire organization himself. The Presidium was where the main beauty of the Citadel rested; the artificial sun blared down on the landscape. Trees and grass spread all over, with tiny city structures lying all over the place with stores and houses pitted along its perimeters, with numerous bridges and platforms positioned above, cars and trucks speeding above these platforms. The Citadel was nicknamed the 'planet-scale city station', and they definitely weren't wrong. The Citadel was essentially the capital space city of the galaxy and was so heavily defended, noone dared attack it. It was defended by numerous armed security personnel and anti-ship defense guns, but its main defense was the mighty Citadel fleet; a joint fleet made up of ships from the turian hierarchy, asari republics and salarian union. Even though the salarians and asari had some ships in the fleet, the turians; as the military masters of the galaxy, had the most ships in the fleet, with a single carrier, five heavy cruisers, ten light cruisers and twelve frigates, accompanied by numerous fighter wings. The flagship of the fleet however wasn't of turian design, it was asari. It was the asari dreadnought, Destiny Ascension, the most powerful warship the galaxy wielded. The ship utilized standard sleek, golden and beautiful asari architecture and was shaped like a christian cross, while the center was a bright blue mass accellerator, the ship's most dreaded feature, not to mention the other powerful weaponry the colossal vessel packed. It was a huge ship to, being at least seven hundred meters in length. No ship in the galaxy could compare with it. To say the Citadel was safe was an understatement; anyone who attacked it was a fool. It was the safest sanctuary in the galaxy, and if the fleet did get decimated, which was highly inpropable, the Citadel could close its multiple wards; the arms of the station, into a secure cacoon. The Citadel was made of a unknown alloy that couldn't be penetrated by any kind of weapon, not even napalm or nuclear-based weapons. Even phosphorous and, not yet mass produced, plasma couldn't penetrate it. So when the Citadel closed up, it became an unbreachable cacoon. Completely safe. And it could remain that way until reinforcements arrived through the nearby Widow Mass Relay.

Palin's office was simplistic; it had a window overlooking the Presidium below, while his desk sat in the middle, a single terminal on the left with multiple datapads clustered over it. The desk was made of rare walnut casing, shipped from Earth, with the room covered in the pictures of the previous executors, most of them turian, while an occasional few were asari. One seemed to have been taken down, but the name was still there on the label. A single quarian, back from the day when they had a republic and weren't nomads on some fleet.  _They deserve it for trying to wipe out a sentient species. Brought it upon themselves._ Garrus looked at the turian, he wore the familiar markings of black and white on his face, the facepaint representing the planet Taetrus; the colony where the bastion of the turian hierarchy held their ground near the resolution of the Krogan Rebellions. The man was all regulations, his eyes should have been replaced by the Citadel Security insignia, because most of the time that's all he saw was his job. Garrus should have known better than to go to this blind, stubborn fool.

"My needs? These are the needs of the entire Citadel Palin! My ideas could save lives! The longer men like Jax, Fist, Dr. Saleon and those other criminals are on the loose, more people are in danger! I suggest a crackdown; armed response teams storm Chora's Den, the lower markets and most of the criminally infested areas; eliminate potential threats to citizen safety and make mass arrests on suspected crime lords. The only way we can fight crime is by fighting it with its own tactics; strength in numbers. We can't keep hiding like this, look at the image your putting on C-Sec! The civilian populace might think we're corrupt, and they could be right! How long is it before some of our officers start accepting bribery from criminals to keep silent? How long is it until fellow officers take advantage and actually aid the criminals security credentials and police information! Think of the resulting peak in crime rate, in civilian chaos! Palin...," Garrus slammed his talon on Palin's desk, "This has to stop! Take action now before its too late! They must be stopped!" Obviously Garrus' speech hadn't gotten through to the man, as Palin spoke, with more irritation.

"I understand your frustration Vakarian, but I'm not changing the policy! Corruption in C-Sec can easily be rooted out anyway! Its a matter of network-wide scrub. Now if you don't mind, I just got a message from Illium detailing a case against Saren Arterius. You may return to your duties." Palin didn't even give Garrus any sort of look as he returned to his terminal, his eyes skimming across the information detailed on screen. Garrus snapped a salute and turned to leave, but then Palin's words finally hit dead center, and he turned back around. "Wait, THE Saren Arterius? You mean the turian spectre?" Palin seemed to give a annoyed 'obviously' look before speaking, "Who else? Yes, a couple of quarians, a young female and a older male with marine training came to the Illium authorities claiming they had information that indicated Saren had betrayed the Council and had somehow acquired a geth army under his command to begin an invasion of Council space. They've dismissed it as nonsense, but one of my contacts got a hold of the information and relayed it back to me. Said I'd get someone to reinforce the claim. I doubt its true, but I'm certainly not dismissing it as false until no evidence can be acquired."

 _Saren. Traitor. Saren was the mentor of Nihlus Kryik. What if the man had actually betrayed the Council? In his position as a Spectre, his treachery would be revealed publically and put a bad image on the turian people. Essentially he'd make all turians look bad._ Without thinking, Garrus looked down at Palin and spoke, "Let me do it, Executor." Palin looked at Garrus, his mandibles creased in curiosity, "You? Why do you want this case? Saren's a fellow turian." Garrus nodded.  _That's why I must do it._ "If Saren is indeed a traitor, then that information would eventually be leaked to the press, and then to the public. Think of it Palin, think of the image that would plaster on our people. It'd make our people look bad. VERY bad. I need to do this. To make sure Saren is brought to justice in secrecy. Any other investigator wouldn't hesitate in leaking it to the media; turian or not turian."

Palin seemed to consider it for some time, the man lookingly blankly at his desk in pensive thought. Eventually he looked back up and a sigh escaped his mandibles, "Very well Vakarian, but no screw ups! You find evidence to prove Saren's a traitor and don't use intimidation to gain possession of that information. Now get on it." Garrus simply nodded and snapped a crisp salute before exiting Pain's office, the door closing behind him as he marched down the prestine corridors towards the Presidium.

_If those quarians have any intelligence, they'll head to the Citadel with their information. And that's where I should be able to find them. I can acquire the evidence from them and have it given to Palin. Saren's a traitor, I just know he is. The man's been dirty since the beginning, it was a matter of time before his reputation caught up with him._

_Now is that time._

**{Loading Fourth File}**

**{Interrogation Subject 001 showing signs of mental degradation and entering periodic hibernation. Apply metamorphine?}**

**{Command Accepted. Applying. Application complete}**

**{Session File Recovered. Session One, Attempt Two. Subject shows signs of strong mental health and immediate adrenaline rush. Session File Stamped: Unknown. Year Stamped is 2264)**

**"What the hell does that mean, Zero-Zero-One? What the hell is with these cryptic messages! Give me a goddamn name and this can all be over!"**

**\- Carter Dielheart**

**"Its quite simple. Everyone during the Eden Prime War and after was at war with themselves as much as they were with Saren and his geth. War Without, and Within. Even Shepard was. I could see it the man's bloody eyes. Simple really. But of course, I'm the only sane one here, aren't I?"**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001**

**Interrogation 02 still in progress. Initial attempts have yielded no results. Carter Dielheart has resorted to more direct questions. He hopes Subject 001 can recover pieces of his past through this. Will await further instructions.**


	5. Treachery Is A Man's Sword

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard and his team are boots on the ground on Eden Prime, but what they find is beyond imagination.

**ENIGMA**

**CHAPTER THREE:**

**TREACHERY IS A MAN'S SWORD**

_June 9, 2183_

_0919 hours._

_Colony Outskirts, Mining Site, Colony Euphoria, Eden Prime._

_Mission Parameters: Deploy and secure the beacon. Survivor evacuation and defensive assistance remains secondary priority. Identify origin, designation and intent of hostile forces. Hostiles are to be shot on sight and assumed hostile until proven otherwise. Possible First Contact scenario._

_Eden Prime War, Battle of Eden Prime._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Lance Corporal Richard Lenard Jenkins, Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko_

All three of them stood at the cargo hold door that would soon open up to let out onto the lush, green grass of Eden Prime to begin their mission. Only god knew what enemies they would face, but Marcus would fight them like he would any other batarian; no mercy and no retreat. He was in his grey N7 armor, the armor like a swimsuit with armor plating ontop, the N7 logo written on the left side of his chestplate. His helmet was on, the visor down but his mouth open for the world to see. The helmet covered his entire face save the oral area. His Diamond Back Assault Rifle rested on the magnetic clamp on his back, while his Armageddon Shotgun sat connnected to the back of his waist. Out of shear insistence by Anderson, he had finally given in to bringing a Raikou model pistol sidearm on his left hip. To his right stood Kaidan, also in his grey armor and helmet, save the N7 logo. Kaidan seemed to prefer bringing every type of weapon with him; saying it was 'training that stuck.' He seemed most profficient with his assault rifle and pistol though, and let most of his tech and biotic abilities do the damage. It made him a valuable asset on the field to complement Shepard's biotic strengths. Jenkins was to his left and like Kaidan, had every weapon available, but he appeared more efficient with the sniper rifle, his being an punisher model. Kaidan's appeared to be a Hammer model. Jenkins was in the same armor, once again without a N7 logo.

Marcus watched as Nihlus fiddled with his executioner model shotgun, seeming to set it for disruptor rounds; rounds meant for draining shields. Marcus would be using his all-time favourite; incendiary rounds. Forget disruptors, incendaries burnt through shields and melted armor in seconds, laying waste to his opponents; it made for a useful ability, especially with his already powerful AR and shotgun. Kaidan would be using drill rounds, which penetrated through solid cover and Jenkins was going to be using standard rounds. For a sniper, Marcus was surprised Jenkins wasn't the one using drill rounds; it really would have helped in penetrating enemy cover. Still, he may have been the commander, but he barely knew Jenkins. The man probably used standard rounds to great effect, or he had some kind of special mod attached to the rifle for higher performance. Marcus was now waiting for orders; he may have been the executive officer on the ship and commander of the ground team, but it was ultimately Anderson who was in charge. He stood as he heard the hum of the Normandy's engines nearby as it descended into Eden Prime's atmosphere.

It didn't take long before the elevator door finally opened and Anderson stepped out onto the deck. "Captain on deck!" Marcus shouted as he stepped into a formal position and snapped a quick salute, followed by Kaidan, Jenkins and everyone else in the room save Nihlus, who just looked at Anderson. Anderson nodded at them before asking them to be at ease, in which everyone immediately dropped their salute and Anderson stepped in front of him. Joker's voice came over the comm as Marcus felt the ship come to a stop, the ship vibranting as it hovered. "Arriving at drop .1, Mining Site. Hostile presence is zero, so you don't have to deal with giant motherships from another dimension. I hope we get this 'doctor who' shit over with soon sir, Joker out." Anderson simply rolled his eyes as the seals popped and the cargo hold door began to slowly descend, opening to show the vast beauty of Eden Prime. Anderson spoke, loud and clearly over the sound of the Normandy's now loud and roaring engines, almost shouting, "You know the mission parameters Commander. Go in and secure the dig site. Neatralize any hostiles that get in your way of the objective."

"Hey Nihlus, you coming with us?" Jenkins asked, his voice full of excitement and wonder, obviously looking forward to fighting alongside the galaxy's most elite. Nihlus' reply came with a solemn tone, one with ego as he checked his shotgun once more.

"I move faster on my own. Commander, I shall meet you on the otherside of the dig site. Keep in touch via comm link." With anymore delay, Nihlus sprinted out of the Normandy's cargo hold, his feet landing firmly on the lush grassfields of the colony. As they watched, the turian spectre sprinted off with much grace and disappeared into the bushes below. Marcus raised a brow while Jenkins simply held a look of sheer disappointment. Anderson simply continued, "Go! Head straight for the dig site!" This time it was Kaidan's voice that rose up above the noise.

"What about survivors, Captain?"

"Evacuating civilians is a secondary objective. Locating the beacon is your top priority!" Anderson replied, his voice full or urgence. Marcus nodded.

"We'll get it done sir." Marcus replied, reaching behind his back and pulling out his rifle, lowering it in lower parry. Jenkins quickly equipped his sniper rifle while Kaidan prepped his tech armor and then equipped his assault rifle. The Tech Armor was apparently something sentinels got in exclusive. It was simplistic yet efficient; once activated, a orange barrier appeared in the form of holographic armor that surrounded the wearer; it was, in essence, energy armor that glowed orange. It made them look like a knight in a way. The Tech Armor would protect from further damage and when it was worn out or 'heavily damaged', it would self-destruct, not harming the wearer but sending out a massive blast that would stun any nearby hostiles, allowing for quick dispatch or tactical retreat. It was efficient, VERY efficient. Kaidan's armor seemed to glow in the light.

"I know you won't Marcus. Now go! And good luck!" With that, Anderson snapped a final salute before reapproaching the elevator. Without a second look at the captain, Marcus motioned for his squad to stay close as he leapt out of the hangar, landing in the grass below, followed by two more thumps behind him; Kaidan and Jenkins. It looked up to see the door closing simultaneously as the Normandy reversed out of the area. Within seconds the door was closed and with a loud, deafening bang, almost like a nuclear bomb going off, the Normandy shot past the area and back into the atmosphere.

"Okay, you heard the man. Lets get to the dig site, but keep a look out for survivors. I don't care what the Alliance or Council want, lives matter more over some relic. Understood?" Marcus ordered, looking at Jenkins and Kaidan for emphasis. They both nodded, acknowledging his orders. Jenkins mouth opened before they could move, "Eden Prime is technically my homeworld, I was born here. It was gorgeous. To see it like this...it hurts. Goddamn bastards are going to pay for every life taken here." Marcus looked at Jenkins and noticed a fire in the man's eye, one that meant pure fury was brewing in there. He liked it. He slapped the corporal on the shoulder, "That's what I want to here, soldier. Now move out! We've got a job to do, so lets get to it before our sentiments are heard by unwanted eavesdroppers." Motioning for Jenkins to take point and Kaidan to take the middle, Marcus took up the rear, making sure noone tried a flanking assault. He also took a quick peek into the distance and didn't like what he saw. Eden Prime's landscape was littered with huge spires that seemed to reach into heaven itself that were glowing with silvery light. But now they were just molten red debris, the tips blown right off by a weapon of unknownable power and might. He could see survivors shooting at hostiles located on the ground, and the hostiles fired back. All over, the landscape was filled with the exchange of gunfire; rockets, automatics and even a few CAAPDS turrets (abbreviation, 'Colonial Anti-Air Point Defense System). It was the roar of warfare.

As Shepard was looking back he bumped into something and stumbled back, a loud squelching sound, reminscent of a fart, followed. Looking at the source of the obstruction, he found a weird creature, seemingly a large ball of gas, tiny veins easily visible through the weird skin. The thing also seemed to hover; and it had friends. Lots of them, floating all over the place. He smiled at the creature when he heard Kaidan say, "What the hell are those?" He turned to see the Sentinel raise his rifle at one that was approaching him by Jenkins shook his head, "They're gasbags. Don't worry, their harmless." Marcus nodded as he thought.  _But whoever's attacking this colony certainly isn't._ "Come on, lets keep moving. Dig site shouldn't be too far." They assumed previous positions as they continued up the path, grass brushing past their feet, large gatherings of rock surrounding the site with a single pond in the middle. Exiting the area they continued down a path cut off by a cliffside on the left side; all it did was give them a clearer view of the battle going on nearby. The path had numerous rocks planted around it, but the area was deathly silent except for the sounds of sniper rifle shots in the background and the sound of distant, alien gunfire. Something wasn't right, he could practically smell an ambush.

He raced up ahead and raised a fist, motioning for Kaidan and Jenkins to stop and crouch next to him, the Commander himself also crouching. His eyes scanned the area ahead, fishing out particular spots for snipers to take up position, vantage points for hostile ambushers and points of interest that his team could use to their own advantage. The entire pass was a death trap; they only had rocks to hide behind, any enemy coming from ahead would have trees, rocks and a cliffside to use to their advantage; hell, what if the enemy had aircraft? The cliffside was a perfect area for a gunship to mow them down and they'd have no alley of retreat, as hostiles from the path ahead would gun them down before they made the exit. In the end, this was the only way. He'd have to hope the enemy had no biotic or tech shock troops and hope his tactical expertise pulled through. Besides, he had fought an army of ten thousand batarians and survived, how hard could it be?  _Yet again, I didn't have a squad to worry about and keep any eye on and I was prepared to die. More pressure is that Nihlus is keeping an eye on me, evaluating me. I have to prove I'm worthy. One mistake and we're fucked._ He decided to go with it. But he had a plan; send Jenkins forward and when any hostiles appeared, he and Kaidan would bombard them with sustained suppression fire while Jenkins moved up the middle and surprise them. He was putting Jenkins' life on the plate, but what were the chances of the enemy being dumb enough to stand up to a combined gunfire and biotic assault? If they enemy were smart, they'd stay in cover and avoid it as much as possible. That was their que. He wasn't going to risk breaking radio silence, so he resorted to good old hand signals.

He motioned with his left hand and waved it left to indicate Jenkins and then waved it forward for him to move forward. Jenkins did as ordered, his body, still crouched, sprinting up ahead as he rushed towards the nearest rock. Then Jenkins made his fatal mistake; he broke radio silence. "In position commander, what do you want me to do?" Almost immediately, Marcus heard distant humming noises, like miniture engines. The sounds were distant at first, but they were growing louder.  _Getting closer. Shit, we've alerted them!_ Jenkins must have heard it too as he moved out of cover, sniper rifle raised, "I hear hostiles incoming, commander. Engaging." Kaidan gave Shepard a paniced expression and he yelled though the comm, "Negative, repeat that's a negative. Regroup on me Jenkins! How copy? Regroup on-" Marcus didn't get to finish as the origin of the sounds arrived; in a trio. And they weren't the ground troopers they were expecting, they were drones.  _Too mobile to use biotics on! Tech could work, but Jenkins won't stand a chance as Kaidan locks on!_

"JENKINS! COVER! NOW-" But it was too late. Much too late. The drones closed in, their dinner plate shape coming into view. They had a rectangular, blue glowing optic with what amounted to a fin ontop. The main feature was the mass accellerator weapon on its belly; it was a fully automatic weapon. The weapon lit up in bright blue, the weapon sound like something out of a cliche sci-fi movie; dark, high-pitched, plasmatic sounds ringing out as high-velocity rounds shot out and slammed into Jenkins' shields. He didn't stand a chance. The rounds ripped through the shields like tiolet paper and his armor split up in a deathly crack. Jenkins screamed in pain as the rounds ripped apart his chest, blood shooting out in all directions the rounds ripped him apart. The drone ceased firing, leaving the unfortunate corporal, the one that held so much promise, bleeding heavily on the ground, the sniper rifle discarded at his side as he coughed out blood, his ribcage almost visible. Kaidan's rage was visible for all to see.

"JENKINS! NO! SYNTHETIC ASSHOLES!" Kaidan seemed to charge forward, his assault rifle firing in a staccato beat as he fired round after round at the hostile drones.  _Hostiles are to be shot on sight and assumed hostile until proven otherwise._  Hostile. Definitely hostile. He let the Diamond Back clatter to the ground as he equipped his raikou pistol, firing off potshots at the drones and giving the drones another threat to recognize. To his surprise the first round that impacted the drone ripped it in half, causing the drone to spontaneously explode in blue light. No shields or armor to speak of.  _Recon Drones. Must have been searching for survivors. But who owns these buggers? What kind of enemy holds a weapon that could tear through shields like they aren't even there?_  Kaidan's shots followed, hitting the last two drones before they could retaliate. The drones followed the same fate as the first; exploding in bright blue light before their debris clattered to the ground.

"Jenkins! Stay with me!" Kaidan shouts could be heard from a mile away. Marcus cursed under his breath as he holstered his pistol and clutched his rifle in one hand, sprinting to Jenkins' broken form. The sight was more gruesome then he'd like, even the batarians weren't capable of such attrocities. Jenkins was dead, there was no way he was surviving these wounds. His entire chest was caked in blood, some of it already dry while more of it seemingly oozed out, the telltale signs of a white bone almost poking through the flesh. The red hot slugs fired by the drone still remained in the mans chest, the rounds being shaped like the old balls used in colonial era musket rifles. The man's mouth oozed blood as he desperately made horrible breathing noises, the sound like the hissing of suit seals. The man's beret had fallen off, a single round lodged in it while his sniper rifle lay uselessly at his side, his hand resting on the handle. Kaidan knelt to the man's left, trying to put pressure on the wound; but it was too big to cover. Marcus knelt next to the man, Jenkins' terrified eyes darting to him; begging for salvation, begging him to save him. But Marcus couldn't. He wasn't god, he couldn't miraculousy save people. He replayed Roshia's death all over again on Elysium, her petrified eyes begging for forgiveness.

"Sir..." Jenkins managed to get out, but any following words were cut off by another gurgle of blood as he coughed. Kaidan's omni-tool appeared on his arm, the indicator highlighted with a red cross; medigel. The stuff was a new invention, it was essentially the replacement for all medical doses. It was a fine orange goo or gel that you placed in the wound, and it would essentially absorb blood, block the wounds and also aid in healing faster. Most, if not all armor systems, now had built in medigel reserves and injectors. Whenever the armor was ruptured and skin punctured, the reserves would immediately inject medigel into the wound, allowing for excellation in combat performance and quick healing on the battlefield. Unfortunately for Jenkins, the rounds had been so powerful that they acted as explosive rounds; ripping apart the suit so badly that the injectors were destroyed by the sheer force of the strike. Even if the injectors still worked, they were designed to deal with small, individual wounds, not the huge opening in Jenkins' chest. Marcus placed a hand on Kaidan's shoulder, and the Sentinel looked up as he prepared the first dose of medigel. He shook his head, "He's lost too much blood Kaidan, and look...you can almost see his ribcage. Whatever did this...its made any chance of Jenkins surviving...nothing." He said as solemnly as possible, trying not to sound like a defeatist. He looked back at Jenkins, taking his hand and resting it on his chest, trying to look reassuring. The man simply smiled as he fought off blood in his mouth. In his entire career, Marcus had only lost one soldier under his command; that had been Roshia on Elysium when she had been hit directly by a rocket, the weapon blowing her legs clean off and leaving shrapnel all over her body, including one in her eye. He had pledged an oath that it would never happen again; he'd broken that oath. Jenkins was on the ground, dying and all he could was sit and watch, giving him a reassuring look. He'd be the last face he'd see; his commander, sitting there, watching him die.

"Commander, before I...," another gurgle of blood, "die...I wanted...to...tell you that I...was...honored...to have had...served...under you. I..." Jenkins screamed in pain as more blood poured out. This was getting unbearable. He wanted nothing more than to point the pistol and Jenkins' head and pull the trigger; put him out of his misery. These rounds had obviously been designed by synthetics for synthetics, not organics. "I...just want you...one last wish...sir." Marcus nodded and saluted Jenkins, a last call of respect to a dying soldier, "Read it out, soldier." He stated, trying to sound assuring and kind in the man's final minutes. The man didn't deserve a cold response when he was dying. Jenkins continued, "Give...those...bastards hell. There's...a war coming...I can feel...it. I won't be around but...I know you'll...do humanity...proud. Sir..." Marcus nodded and chuckled, "I'll do that and more Jenkins. And please...call me Shepard." Jenkins nodded at his commander one last time as he let out a final howl of pain, his eyes going blank. His calm smile vanished as his body started to go limp, "Its so cold, I don't even feel..." That's all that came out. The man's eyes seemed to stare into nothing as his eyes finally went fully blank, his expression creasing into...nothing. His whole body went limp, his heart stopped pumping, the ever present steady pulse in his hand vanishing. The blood continued to pore out in droves as the man simply stopped moving; Jenkins was dead.

"Jenkins, you crazy bastard...why...you were...damn it..." Kaidan muttered, unable to form a proper coherent sentence. Marcus didn't know if he could even push forward; what was next? Was Kaidan going to get killed next? Or was he? Just how powerful was their enemy? And what if they'd already detected and destroyed the Normandy? Were there even survivors? And what about the beacon... _Of course! That's why they're attacking the colony, they want what we want! The Beacon!_ Then he looked back at Jenkins' still form. A soldier, a soldier who had an entire career ahead of him, destined for leadership, had died barely at the start of the mission, and for what? Some stupid relic? "FUCK THIS MISSION! I can't believe this shit! We should have come in with reinforcements! Why send us into a warzone with a three-man team, comprised a single rookie who's barely seen combat? That rookie is now dead and we don't even know what killed him! All for a fucking beacon!" Kaidan shouted first, as if reading Marcus' thoughts. He had a right to be angry. This mission had barely started and they already had one KIA. How long until all three were dead? He had fought batarians and a few mercenaries; that hardly qualified for fighting an enemy so powerful that simple recon drones could wipe out an entire squad. But they were on the ground now, no going back. If they left now, Jenkins' death would have been for nothing. If they wanted to make it worth something, they had to finish the mission. But they couldn't leave Jenkins' body here. He commed his omni-tool.

"Normandy, this is Lieutenant Commander Shepard leading the ground team, how copy?" The silence only lasted two seconds, followed by the response. It wasn't Joker, thank god. It was, surprisingly, Pressly who answered, "Solid copy, Commander. Sitrep." Marcus sighed as he once again looked at Jenkins' body, seeing Kaidan leaning over and sliding the man's eyes shut so as to put the man's body at peace. Those petrified eyes were too much to look at. He then looked back at the battle ahead of him, "Everything's gone TARFU, I repeat, TARFU. The whole colony looks like a warzone but...Jenkins he...we were ambushed by enemy forces and I made a bad call...I...Jenkins is KIA. He's dead." There was silence over the comm. He knows that the whole crew had probably heard. Jenkins had been on the Normandy for a longer period than Marcus, and it was enough to get to know the man. His death would have been a shock to the whole crew, and especially Kaidan, as the man would have also, has Jenkins' superior, taken it as his own responsibility. But it was Shepard's...Jenkins had died because of his orders, his mistake...if he'd sent Kaidan instead...his tech armor would have protected him better. Against his better judgment, he continued.

"We're marking the area via red smoke. We're going to push on ahead and finish what we started and link up with Nihlus. I'd...Jenkins...I think Jenkins deserves a proper burial, not to be left here. Come pick him up, look after the body. Tell...tell Anderson we're continuing with the mission." Kaidan looked at Marcus with a shocked expression and quickly marched up to him, his face covered in fury, "Jenkins died for this worthless piece of crap! He died for nothing! He died because some turian spectre decided we should pick up this piece of shit!" Marcus returned his rage, looking down at the man, "No, he'll die for nothing if we abandon this mission! We abandon this mission and we are disrespecting him! He died trying to retrieve this beacon. So we will retrieve this beacon and honor Jenkins' sacrifice. We leave now...and his death will be for nothing." Kaidan solemnly nodded before backing off, picking up his rifle and searching the perimeter, trying to keep his mind on something else. Nihlus must have been listening in, cause his voice was next, "The commander is correct, we must..." Marcus' expression was cold and rugged even through the comms, and his voice was ice, "Nihlus, shut the fuck up." Without waiting for an answer, he shut off the comm and reequipped his assault rifle, looking at Jenkins' body one final time, whispering a silent prayer as he did. He wasn't an overly religious man, but the man deserved it. He hardly knew Jenkins, but his death hit him almost as hard as losing a close friend. Just without tears involved. It was called the Mourner's Kaddish. Many didn't know it all too well because he kept it hidden, but he had a strong jewish background, his father being very zealous. His mother wasn't overly fond of it, but she didn't hate it either. Marcus had only trusted his squad on Elysium with that information, and they never held any prejudice, but maybe when he got to know this squad better...then he'd tell them. Marcus then approached the body and after some hesitation, he picked up Jenkins' punisher sniper rifle, collapsing it into its compact form and fitting it onto the magnetic clamp on his back. When Kaidan gave him an odd look he simply said, "He may have died, but I'll make sure he keeps fighting." Kaidan might not understand the significance of what he just said, but he might have gotten the gist of it.

But now the mission needed completion. With his rifle held steadily in his hands, Marcus took point up ahead, with Kaidan protecting his rear. They headed up the pass and noted on their motion trackers that no red dots were showing up. Just when Marcus was about to give the all clear, he spotted a squad sized amount of the little recon drones heading towards them, and motioned for Kaidan to take cover. Before taking cover, they both fired sporadic bursts into the swarm; multiple explosions giving them coverage to move behind the rocks flanking the woodland they hid in. Without peaking, Marcus held his rifle above his head and squeezed the trigger. Shots poured out of his Diamond Back, the satisfying sounds of explosions rattling his mind as he went crazy. Within seconds he heard the tell tale rapid-beeping sounds of the weapon's magnetic accellerator overheating and dropped the weapon, switching to his raikou. By that time however, the drones had been finished off and his Diamond Back had almost finished cooling down. He slowly moved up and past the glowing debris of the destroyed drones, Kaidan taking the rear as they moved up through the land. Nihlus' voice picked up, "I'm at a observation post, Commander. Lots of bodies, alot of them look fried. Literally. No hostiles to speak of. Wait." Marcus stopped and raised his fist, signalling Kaidan to stop. Nihlus' voice picked up again, "Change of plans Shepard, I've picked up lots of movement at the spaceport. Secure the beacon at the dig site and I'll meet you at the spaceport. Break." Nodding, Marcus threw his hand forward to signal their continued advance.

They hadn't reached the steep descent angle when they heard more gunfire, and this was closer. It sounded like the gunfire from the drones, which meant survivors were nearby. He rushed behind a nearby rock overlooking the outcrop, and he spotted the dig site up ahead. Just as he was prepared to lower his head again, a green dot appeared on his motion tracker, followed by two rapidly approaching red dots. A friendly pursued by two hostiles, speed suggesting more recon drones. He could see them to now; he spotted the color white appear from the dig site and immediately recognized who it was; Nirali's commander from the distress call, her pure white female phoenix armor glazing in the sunlight. She wore a helmet similiar to theirs, and they realized that her armor also had a tinge of pink to it; an odd color for soldiers to wear. She held a single pistol, a Stinger model by the look of it. The drones followed behind her, shooting eratically but always missing, the female marine pulling off multiple evasions to dodge the deadly high-velocity rounds. The rounds impacted the ground, sending up spirals of dust and dirt into the air, staining the woman's armor as she ran past, firing random shots behind her in an attempt to defend herself. He was about to react when the woman slid on the ground and reared backwards, finally taking aim and focusing her shots. Her shots were perfect, two rounds landing home on both the targets; both exploding in a torrent of fire and debris and crashing just in front of her. Marcus was about to get up and approach the marine, but a mechanical clicking sound caused him to retreat behind his cover. The marine noticed it as well, but as she looked at the source, her face twisted into one of sheer horror.

Marcus risked a look through the bushes and saw just what shocked the marine, and it made him freeze to the spot. Two figures held a human colonist on some sort of sleek, bug looking platform with three support frames, but the two figures' faces were hidden as they looked at the terrified colonist, who looked stunned and dazed; as if awaking from a sedative. By the cabling running through the open back of the figures, he could tell they were machines, which meant they owned the drones. Nirali's words echoed in his mind.  _Synthetic forces..._ The figures made more mechanical noises as they lowered the colonist on the platform.  _What are they doing with him?_ His unspoken question was answered as the colonist suddenly screamed in pain as his body shot upwards. At first he thought it was a gravity cannon, but when he looked closely, the colonist wasn't falling to the ground, he hang there. He was skewered on the top of a large spike, the spike having ripped right through his chest. He was horrified by what the synthetics were doing and he heard the marine gasp in horror. Both of the synthetics turned around and now Marcus got a full few of them. He didn't like what he saw, it made the skewered colonist even worse. Kaidan had seen it too, and was positively horrified. The synthetics were of the same arched back and legs appearence, a single, glowing blue optic for a head, where they got their nickname 'flashlight heads.' Kaidan spat the name out faster than he could.

"Dear god...they're geth!" He whispered through the comm, shocked by what he saw. Marcus nodded his head. He'd heard about the geth in secondary school history class. What he knew of them was that they were a race of networked artificial intelligence constructs created by the quarians three hundred and fifty years ago to serve as a labor force to make quarian life easier, and to also serve as backup units in the quarian military. But the quarians had made the horrible decision of convening them to AI status, and when one of them asked the famous question, 'Does this unit have a soul?', all out war between the quarians and the geth broke out; the quarians were terrified that the geth had gained sentience and feared they would plan to rebel at some point, and took the initiative, the geth, as a sentient species, did what what they had the right to do; they retaliated. The war, known by many as the 'Geth War' or 'Geth Insurrection' or by the quarians as the 'Morning War', lasted approximately thirty years; ending with total quarian defeat, with every quarian colony being overrun by geth forces and the geth exiling the quarians from their homeworld. Oddly enough, the machines had let the quarians escape instead of finishing them off, which remained one of the galaxy's mysteries till this day. He had no idea what happened to the quarians, if they still existed, but he knew about the geth; any organic ship that entered the Perseus Veil never returned and no geth ever left it. But here they were, looking at two geth, on Eden Prime, in the Attican Traverse. The Perseus Veil was in the Terminus, not the Traverse. What were they doing here?

Either way, what the geth were doing to the colonists was horrific and had to stop; now. The geth platforms, judging by their black armor casing, standard geth infantry, had noticed the female marine, and the marine sprinted behind one of the rocks before they could fully locate her, her M7 Avenger assault rifle exiting its collapsed form as she holstered her pistol and equipped it, the weapon entering full combat form across her breastplate, her breathing heavy. The two geth quickly raised their bug-like assault rifles, what he'd learnt from his father were pulse rifles, one of the most lethal rifles known to the galaxy and most likely had more power than the mass acellerators the recon drones held, moving left and right to search for the marine, while the marine herself looked about ready to charge out and confront her attackers. Without even thinking, Marcus made sure his incendiary rounds were activated and charged out, signalling for Kaidan to fire a incinerate at the left trooper as he ran forward, his body pulsing with biotic energy. Kaidan's omni-tool lit up as he launched a bright orange missile towards the first trooper, while Marcus mustered all the biotic power he could into his fist, launching it forward and sending a bright blue rocket of biotic energy at the second geth. They didn't stop running as they joined the marine behind her cover, letting their assault do the job. Peeking out from behind his cover, he watched as Kaidan's incineration blast impacted the left geth, causing it to erupt in flame, the platform falling to the ground as optics exploded and armor melted from the sheer heat of the attack. He watched as his warp impacted the second geth, the platform enveloped in blue energy that crackled all over its body, causing it to overload and explode, bits of armor chippings impacting numerous areas.

Seeing that all hostiles were neatralized, he holstered his weapons, followed by Kaidan. The marine followed up by holstering her avenger rifle and took off her helmet, turning to him, her features now clearer. She had smooth skin, which indicated young age. Her hair was bundled in a pony tail, her hair like Anderson's and Kaidan's; completely black in color. She had eyeliner which made her eyelashes a darker shade of black, making her very feminine, and her lips were light red, indicating a thick amount of lipstick. She was breathing heavily as she snapped a salute, introducing herself. "Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212, Second Frontier Division, are you the one in charge here sir?" The woman named Ashley looked like a well-trained soldier, a woman not worthy of the rank she was given; she deserved more, she showed the experience of a Sergeant or Major, but her rank was a Gunnery Chief? That was lower than a Warrant Officer. Her stance was professional, which meant she must have been serving the Alliance military for quite a long while. Her jawline was firm and unwavering, meaning she was a seasoned soldier, but a veteran? She didn't look like she had seen much combat and by her age, she hadn't been around when the batarian slavers struck. After his time.

"I'm Lieutenant Commander Marcus Shepard," he pointed at Kaidan with his rifle, "Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko. What happened here Williams? I need a sitrep, everything you know. Enemy's intent, survivor count, location of your squad, personal combat performance." He ordered in rapidfire, waiting for Ashley to respond. She nodded, beginning her count, "Then I'm sure you know our enemy's geth. I have no idea what they are doing, but I can tell you what happened. We were patrolling the perimeter twenty minutes ago, and then that mothership dropped out of nowhere and began dropping geth all over the place. Next thing we know main colony is overwhelmed and the entire division is decimated. Any survivors are holding position somewhere on the outskirts. As for my squad...I think I'm the only one left sir." Ashley seemed hurried, afraid and most of all...regretful. She must be blaming herself for the soldier's deaths.

"Why are the geth attacking, Gunnery Chief? What's so important about Eden Prime that they risked leaving the Perseus Veil to get it?" Marcus had a feeling he knew exactly what, but he wasn't about to play a game of assumptions. These machines were emotionless and unhesitational; basing his counterattack on assumptions lead to deaths...like Jenkins.  _How can I convince this soldier that it isn't her fault when I'm still blaming myself over Jenkins' death?_ Ashley seemed to give an exasperated sigh, clearly not in the mood for further combat. Her armor was worn in quite a few areas, and it looked like a slug had just scraped her armor, leaving a tiny patch of blood and a sealed armor section filled with medigel. Ashley looked around the place and immediately looked away when she saw the impaled colonist. "I have no...wait, actually, I think it might have to do with that beacon those archaelogists dug up." Marcus raised a brow at Kaidan, and looked back at Ashley with a quizzacal look on his face.  _The geth want the beacon too? Too many of these calculations end up with the same result being the beacon. That beacon has to be more important than Anderson is letting in on. Geth are machines, its not like they revere the protheans are something._ Or do they? No, they couldn't. Just machines.

"If they're also here for the beacon, then we have to hurry." Ashley expanded her eyes at him...she was angry. "What? So this entire attack is about some stupid prothean beacon? I watched soldiers die...good soldiers, friends, wives, husbands, spouses...children...die, slaughtered by those synthetic bastards...and you're telling me they died because they want a stupid beacon? You've got to be fucking kidding me, this can't be happening. God please grant me assurance that this is all just a horrible nightmare." Marcus shook his head at the woman, not because of her religious prayer, because he felt sorry for her. She'd seen the horrors of war, her friends slaughtered. What if she'd been married? Was her husband dead? Was it all the Alliance's fault for not having a fully-sanctioned orbital defense fleet? Or was it the colonist's fault for picking a spot so close to the Terminus? No, the colonists couldn't be blamed for this. Only the geth...possibly the Alliance.

"Can you fight Williams?" He asked, knowing just how careless his question must seem. He usually cared for the troops under his command, always letting express their concerns and opinions. He even let them give him command suggestions, but that was for less desperate situations. This was not a care-free situation; they were in a warzone packed with geth, so she was either in with them or she was out. No other option was presentable. Ashley, to his surprise, simply laughed.

"Ready? If you mean ready to get some payback, then hell yes sir, I'm right behind you." Without another word, she pulled out her Avenger assault rifle and equipped it in lower parry, awaiting her new commander's orders. A loud booming sound could be heard before they turned to see the large form of the Normandy lowering to hover over the ground. Ashley waved her weapon at it, "Your ship sir?" Marcus nodded, "Not my ship, I don't command it. But yes, I serve on it as its XO." Ashley simply nodded before a more frightening sound could be heard; the same sound he heard when that spike skewered that colonist. Turning back, he saw the spike descending, but the colonist on it wasn't the one he'd seen before; horrors had been inflicted upon it. The body now glowed a brilliant blue glow, the taint of synthetic implants rippling its body. Two pipes raised from the abomination's chest and reached into the once-humanoid's mouth, pale blue, synthetic optics replacing his eyes. He had a bald scalp; no hair at all. He wore tattered clothes, the body overgrowing them. His fingernails were like talons. Everything about the thing was no longer human, just pure machine. A husk.

"What the hell did the geth do to them!?" Ashley immediately raised her rifle and shot at the husk as it ripped itself of the spike and charged at them; ready to kill them. It certainly wasn't friendly anymore. Ashley continued to fire bullets into its flesh until it finally fell dead, but that wasn't the end of its assault. It let out a huge, inhuman scream as it fell and released sporadic amounts of electricity, overloading their weapons. "Damn it, weapon overloaded. Come on, we should get to the beacon. Its just fifteen meters this way. I tried to secure it when those drones attacked me." Ashley motioned for Marcus and Kaidan to follow her, and that they did. They didn't even stop for breath as they finally reached the dig site, but when they did, they found the beacon missing; it was gone.

"But it was right here! It must have been moved!" Ashley explained, motioning them to follow her up the ramp up ahead, emerging into a small, makeshift camp. Everywhere, the bodies of numerous dead marines and colonists lay, being rounded up by two husks. These ones were already transformed, and upon entrance, charged right at them. The trio didn't exactly hesitate in shooting the monsters, streams of gunfire ripping the two abominations apart. Without even looking back, Ashley motioned them to head down the left path but they were interrupted when they heard someone talking nearby; human. "Wait up Williams, I've found survivors." Ashley immediately stopped and immediately backed up behind him, both Kaidan and her giving him a rear guard. Entering a hacking code, Marcus entered the building and prepared for hostiles, only to find two scientists. The room was a grey color, with two bunks on left side and work terminals near the windows. One scientist was a woman, who immediately shouted, "Don't shoot! We're human!" The other one was a man, but he clearly wasn't in his right head; he looked delusional. His next words sounded delusional as well.

"The swords of evil have arrived to kill us all..."

...

"Wait, Wait, Wait. An insane scientist? This sounds like something out of a really bad remake of Frankenstein." Jason stated, the child not happy with the imagining.

"I knew Marcus well, he didn't make stuff up. The scientist was delusional, and obviously religious by the words he used. Like I was saying..." Tali continued.

...

"The swords of evil have arrived to kill us all! Servants of Hades himself! They rise from the underworld to destroy us, you can't save us! We're all doomed!" The man babbled, Kaidan widening his eyes in confusion. Marcus raised a brow, "What the hell's wrong with him? Is his mental health in check? Is he seeing a doctor?" He asked, curious as to why the man was spouting out religious crap...especially stuff from old, ancient and defunct greek mythology. The scientist just rambled on, "You can't stop the rising darkness! My words must be heeded! Hades comes up in a huge ship that promises to provide horrors of the worst kind! He whispers to you, like...like...Argh! He speaks to me, like...ARGH!"

"Right..." Kaidan said, looking like he was about to break out chuckling. Now wasn't the time, these people were most likely traumatized. Marcus then realized where he had heard the woman's voice from, "You're Dr. Warren! I remember you thanking me after I saved the colony." The woman named Rebecca Warren nodded, smiling, "Yes, you must be Staff Sergeant Marcus Shepard. Its good to see you again." Marcus nodded, also smiling at her innaccuracy, "Yeah, but its actually Lieutenant Commander now." Dr. Warren looked geniunely surprised, laughing halfheartedly, "Wow. And to think you were only here twelve years ago." Marcus nodded, looking back at the other doctor, "Who's this you find yourself in the...company of?" He really didn't consider a raving loony to be company. That was just strong tolernace of unwanted company.

Rebecca looked at the male with a weary look and back at Marcus, "Dr. Robert Manuel, he's harmless I asure you, but alittle mentally unstable after the battle at Eden Prime all those years ago. He was forced to watch as the batarians tortured his wife and then threw her into the ship's engine drives. He's been mentally scarred for the rest of his life. He calls the batarians the 'sinners of Zeus' or something and yaps on about how the 'angels of heaven', aka the Alliance, will make the sinners pay for their misdoings. All nonsense if you ask me." Rebecca stated, clearly disturbed by Manuel's behaviour. He may have been mentally unstable, but whispers in his mind? What? Manuel spoke up before he could.

"The whispers in my mind tell me you are hostile. They say I must kill you. I must...heed their wishes. I must. They promise silence. I MUST OBEY!" Without hesitation, Manuel had just blindly charged at them. At the word kill, Marcus had been to unholster his pistol, but Manuel had already landed on him and wrapped his hands around his neck, trying to choke him. But Manuel was a simple scientist; he was a N7. Marcus glowed in biotic energy as he threw Manuel into the wall nearby and reared his Raikou pistol at Manuel's head. "Stand down, Manuel! I don't want to have to kill you!" He was ready to pull the trigger if Manuel so much as reached out a hand. The man wasn't just mentally unstable, he was insane!

"The whispers tell me I have failed! They tell me I must pay for mistakes! I must...I have to!" Before Marcus could do anything, Manuel reached into the nearby draw and drew a pistol, pointing it below his chin and pulling the trigger. Bloody splattered the wall as the round exited out of his skull, and onto the floor. Manuel simply fell to the ground, dead. Rebecca looked at the scene in horror as Marcus holstered his pistol. The man's actions hadn't been normal. He put a reassuring hand on Rebecca's shoulder, "I need you to stay here and lock the door. Nobody gets in, or out. Okay? We have to get to the bottom of this."

...

"So he just went crazy?" Langway asked, raising his hand.

Tali shook her head, "They didn't know it until later on and discovered the effects, but Manuel had been indoctrinated by Sovereign. The whispers were all in his head. Marcus said he had felt sorry for him, and had he known, would have killed Manuel earlier and ended his pain. But you've made me spoil the story! Now where were we? Uh yes, Nihlus' grim fate..."

...

_June 9, 2183_

_0926 hours._

_Colony Center, Spaceport, Colony Euphoria, Eden Prime._

_Mission Parameters: Deploy and secure the beacon. Survivor evacuation and defensive assistance remains secondary priority. Identify origin, designation and intent of hostile forces. Hostiles are to be shot on sight and assumed hostile until proven otherwise. Possible First Contact scenario._

_Eden Prime War, Battle of Eden Prime._

_Spectre Nihlus Kryik_

The turian spectre continued to move inbetween cover with surmounting grace, never once letting the geth even get a peek at him as he pumped them full of shotgun holes. The Commander and Kaidan had managed to draw the attention of a majority of the geth ground forces, allowing Nihlus the ability to move past with minimal resistance. Most of the colonist and marines he passed were dead before he got there, while some others were just too scared to come out, or cautious of a turian on a human colony. It wasn't long before Nihlus arrived at the spaceport, the area just below him. It was a large building, with a single escalator used for transporting cargo to the other half of the spaceport located just to the left of the great, white building. Numerous pieces of cargo were littered in the grass plains infront of the spaceport; abandoned when the civilians ran to hide from the geth attack. He watched as numerous geth platforms; mostly troopers and a few of the transformed colonists began scouting the area, the colonist abominations seeming to follow the geth like servants. Nihlus leapt down from his vantage point and ran down across the holding point, where he eventually landed in a prone position in the glass plains, in front of a ten foot cargo container with flipped forklift. He stood up and checked his weapon's mass accellerator to make sure the disruptor rounds were ready and readied a overload program on his omni-tool.

Peeking around the crate, he noticed most of the geth, save one had mostly left for the escalator, one of the large geth, a crimson red construct that towered at about 6 foot 1 classified as a geth destroyer and specialized in shotgun combat, had lead the numerous troopers and a single platform holding what is dubbed a geth pulse sniper rifle; a sharpshooter. That thing would pierce shields, armor and flesh in a single shot, the weapon having enough power to rip through cover and blow a turian's entire torso off. An anti-materiel rifle if he heard right, but he thought the concept had been abandoned after the First Contact War. Obviously not.

He spotted the single trooper and activated his cloak, sneaking up behind an deactivating it at the last second. Before he could fire his shotgun into the trooper's back however, a shot rang out and hit the geth's optics, blowing its head right off. The platform fell limply on the ground, its platform unmoving. Nihlus thought that Shepard and his team had arrived, but instead, when he turned, he saw the approaching figure of a fellow turian; a figure he recognized all too well. The turian held a single Karpov model pistol, lowering the weapon at the sight of Nihlus, his expression stoic. The turian wasn't the one he once knew however; he had what looked like cybernetic upgrades all over his face, his eyes glowing with the same blue glow of the husk creatures. His mandibles were cut and bruised, showing the taint of cybernetics under his scars. The turian was also a biotic, one of the rarest turian biotics, with also explained the blue glow being more powerful than usual. The turian named Saren Arterius; his mentor, approached, his mandibles twitching in a smile. "Nihlus, it has been a long time my student."

"This isn't your mission Saren, what are you doing here?" He asked the fellow spectre. Saren simply approached and placed a talon on Nihlus' shoulder, reassuring him, "The Council thought you could use some extra help on this one, friend. Besides, I'd be glad to fight alongside a fellow turian once again." Nihlus simply stood as he saw the large form of the geth flagship, the ship being of mythically monolithic proportions, easily towering the biggest skyscrapers on Palaven. Still a dot compared to the Citadel, but it was still massive. "By the spirits Saren, look at that ship! Its huge! Nothing we have in the turian fleet could match that! The situation looks bad." He felt Saren's hand slide off his shoulder. He continued to look in horror at the sheer size of the ship, terribly unaware of the sound of a Karpov pistol activating behind him.

"Don't worry, I have the situation under control" Those were the last words Nihlus heard from Saren.

He felt the pistol reach the back of his head, but he didn't get to move in time. The gunshot rang out, Nihlus' skull breaking apart as the round pierced it, the dead spectre crumbling to the ground dead.

"I'm sorry Nihlus, but you would only try to stop the envitable. We organics rely on emotion instead of logic. Sovereign has allowed me to see that." With that, Saren shot Nihlus' body one more time, the purple pool of blood thickening from the shot as Saren summoned his hover platform, stepping onto it and flying off to the other end of the spaceport. He is, however, blissfully unaware of the dockworker watching him.

"Oh shit!" Were Powell's only words.

**{Loading...}**

_June 9, 2183_

_0926 hours._

_Colony Center, Spaceport, Colony Euphoria, Eden Prime._

_Mission Parameters: Relocate the beacon. Enemy forces confirmed to be Geth. Hostiles looking for beacon. Locate and extract beacon and neatralize any hostile counteraction. Beacon is a HighPri. Link up with Nihlus Kryik._

_Eden Prime War, Battle of Eden Prime._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams._

A single gunshot rang out, echoing through the valley.

"Double time it people." Marcus ordered, his Diamond Back levelled so the butt connected with his shoulder blade, moving up to take point while Kaidan took center and Ashley the rear. It didn't take long before the ground began to shake uncontrollably, a gigantic red mist forming behind the spaceport.

"Earthquake!" Ashley shouted, desperately trying to find a handhold but simply fell to the ground, tripping over Kaidan who also fell.

The earthquake theory was disproved on sight as the red mist cleared and the gigantic, nightmarish warship that would put the IJN Yamato to shame, rose up and into the atmosphere. No he got a full look at it, and the thing looked VERY much like a gigantic squid. Its squid like 'head' or main body rose up like a demon arising from hell, with its huge, goliath legs hanging below it. It wore blood red bug-like armor that shone brightly in the sun of Utopia. The gigantic ship let out a ear-piercing synthetic horn sound, before speeding up and entering the atmosphere of Eden Prime so fast it could possibly match the Normandy. Bits of red electricity still sprout, but it wasn't much to worry about.

There hadn't been much enemies to eliminate; a few husk creatures but luckily most of the geth must have left on their flagship or that had been the majority; the rest being killed by the marines. When they walked up the platform, Marcus was heading for the escalator when Kaidan cried out.

"Sir! Its Nihlus!" Marcus turned the container and expected to see the spectre running towards them and was prepared to start boasting about how long the turian took. But when he turned, he saw only the cold, bloodied remains of the spectre, his body bathed in purple blood. He searched the body and found the entry wound.

"Someone shot him in the back of the head. Nihlus isn't that cocky and incompotent, he's a spectre. That means he was getting all nice with someone; and that someone shot him in the back. What kind of coward would do this?"

"Someone like...this coward!?" Ashley shouted, returning dragging the struggling body of a colonist from behind the crates, dropping him next to Nihlus' body before she drew her stinger pistol. Marcus put a hand on the pistol and lowered it, giving Ashley a look of 'let me handle this.' She simply nodded and reholstered the pistol, moving out to patrol the perimeter. Kaidan decided to do the same, leaving Marcus and the colonist alone.

"Before you ask, I didn't kill that guy! I didn't kill Nihlus!" The colonist shouted, obviously terrified. Marcus shook his head as he crossed his arms, "Then why were you hiding behind the crates? He wouldn't make nice with a geth and he's a Spectre, he doesn't let his guard down. There's nowhere a sniper could take advantage so tell me...how does this eliminate you as a suspect? Tell me that?" Marcus said his usual, calm, questioning voice. "What's your name?" He further asked, wanting to know who and what he was talking to you.

The colonist eyed him with terror, "Powell. My name is Powell, I'm a dockworker. I hid behind the crates when the attack hit. All I heard was screaming. It was horrible. Then...then this giant ship came...it was massive!" Marcus rolled his eyes at Powell, "You still haven't answered my question and I'm not buying the scared civilian act."

"I'm not acting! I didn't kill your friend, he didn't even know I was here! I'm not even armed, how could I have killed him? Even I did have one, I don't know how to use one!" Powell pleaded, Marcus finally convinced. The colonist had a point; he didn't look like the gun wielding type. "Then did you see who did? You must have had eyes behind the crate. What did you see?" Powell simply nodded, opening his mouth to speak, "Some...turian...I think his name was...Saren! That's what the turian called him, Saren. I think they knew each other, Saren seemed to call him 'student.' Then...he betrayed him. Shot him in the back of the head. Then he said something about how Nihlus would only try and stop him and how we rely on emotions instead of...rationality or something. Then he mentioned someone called Sovereign. After that he jumped on this platform thing and flew off."

"Did you see where he went?" Marcus asked, curious as to who Saren was and what the hell Sovereign was. He needed to get to the bottom of this. First Jenkins dead, now Nihlus. This mission was turning out to be a disaster. Powell nodded, pointing at the escalator, "Otherside of the spaceport, its where we took the beacon after digging it up. We had it here and moved it there just when the attack started. I think he's after it. Take the cargo train, its the only way there." Marcus nodded and was about to leave when Ashley ran up, "So Powell, what the hell is 'eighty kilograms worth of military-grade fragmentation grenades' doing in these canisters. Don't play innocent, your name is written on the contract forms!"

Marcus looked at Powell with a glare, the man simply scoffed, "It was good for business. Got me credits, made me rich. It wasn't hurting anybody." Ashley guffawed and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, throwing him into the wall, "Not hurting anybody? All the Alliance has done has protected your sorry ass, and to thank us, you steal from our supplies? Supplies that could have greatly aided us in the defense of this colony! My friends died because of your selfish greed! You...disgrace to humanity! You have sinned greatly!" There she went again, religious poutings. Sinners? Sounded alot like a Christian.  _Never trust Christians, son. They copied off us, its all in the book. Their a fuckwit religion._ Marcus didn't think so though. He believed everyone had a right to believe in what they wanted. Christianity wasn't a fuckwit religion, it was religion based upon many people's opinions. He accepted that.

Marcus put a hand on Ashley's shoulder, but spoke to Powell, "Get out of here Powell, and hope the geth don't find you. Find Dr. Warren, maybe she'll be in the mood to take care of you, you lying, thieving scumbag." Ashley immediately dropped Powell, and the colonist ran like his life was on the balance.

"Come on, we have a mission to finish."

_June 9, 2183_

_0939 hours._

_Colony Center, Spaceport Docking Center, Colony Euphoria, Eden Prime._

_Mission Parameters: Reach Beacon before Saren Arterius. Geth forces determined to be strongest in this area. Make a sweep of the area and extract the beacon. Saren Arterius is a Council spectre and dockworker verbal and visual account indicate high treason. If you encounter Saren, you are given sanction to incarcerate or execute him. Be warned; geth forces ordered to destroy colony with high-explosive charges. Disarm charges to save surviving civilian populace._

_Mission KIAs: Spectre Kryik, Nihlus. Lance Corporal Jenkins, Richard._

_Eden Prime War, Battle of Eden Prime._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams. Intel suggest Saren Arterius is in the area. As said, sanction given to deal freely with the target._

With a final shot of his new Punisher sniper rifle, the geth destroyer's head was blown clean off, his weapon now overheated from firing two shots in such rapid succession.  _That was for Jenkins. Bastards._ Switching his punisher for his armageddon shotgun, he raced out and charged straight at a nearby geth shock trooper; the hostile recognized by its ability to overload the shotgun's mass accellerator and create a fireball called carnage and its milky white armor color. Before the geth could react, he had pumped a single shell into its chest, causing the shields to explode in a flurry of electricity. Not waiting, he flared with pulsing biotic energy and turned into a wrecking ball, his body smashing into the platform and ramming it into the wall, allowing him to ram his shotgun into its optics and pull the trigger, bright white liquid flushing out as the optics exploded, destroying the geth. Without hesitation, he picked up a approaching trooper and threw him over the edge before launching a cascading shockwave of biotics into a stationary squad of troopers and a sniper, sending them flying in numerous directions, allowing Ashley to finish them off.

"Second bomb disarmed! I'm going for the third!" Kaidan shouted through the comms, just as Marcus switched to his Diamond Back and leapt behind cover as two more geth destroyers, flanked by numerous husks, approached his position. He thumbed his omnitool, "Copy that, Alenko." " He switched to Ashley, "Williams! We need to give Lieutenant Alenko more time! And I need support, got two destroyers and those husk creatures on my 12. You distract the destroyers, I'll take the husks." Ashley gave her acknowledgment through a green beep on the comms before he heard Ashley's voice, "This is for Nirali you sons of bitches!" Fire peppered the right destroyer, shields flickering at the shots. A burst of orange light and a carnage impacted the destroyer, causing its shields to rupture and implode. Both destroyers finally took notice and turned to analyze the new threat, allowing Marcus to kill the husks with well placed, timed shots.

Without thinking, Marcus charged and rolled under the right destroyer's legs, jumping up onto its back. Dropping his diamond back, he immediately equipped his armageddon and pumped two rounds into its back causing it to collapse backwards onto the ground; with Shepard still on the back. The impact knocked the wind out of him, and he saw the second destroyer pointing its geth pulse shotgun at his face. He tried to throw the destroyer away, but was beaten to it. One of the bombs, enveloped in blue light, smashed into the destroyer's torso, throwing it onto the grey floored ground, pieces of ripped machine and white liquid pouring out of the dead body. He watched as Kaidan, illuminated in biotic light stood next to him, looking down at him smugly.

"Get...this...thing...off...of...me." Marcus tried to shout, but his voice was muffled by the cold, hard metal of the destroyer that lay on him. He watched as both Ashley and Kaidan pushed the thing off, allowing Marcus to get to his feet. He turned to Kaidan, "One more bomb left?" Kaidan shook his head smiling, "I just saved you with the last one, Buck." Marcus rolled his eyes at the reference and motioned for Ashley and Kaidan to follow him to the beacon. They ran down the side railings and onto the aforementioned deck. Nothing in sight but the single beacon.

It wasn't what he expected either; it looked like a strut surrounded in glowing green energy. The area behind it however, caught his attention more. The lush forest behind it glowed brilliant red, a testament to the destruction the geth flagship caused. What was once lush forest was now unrecognizable; it was just melted, wiped out...nothingness. It reminded him of the Tunguska Event, just on a smaller scale and much more horrifying knowing not an asteriod, but a ship, managed such destruction. His attention turned back to the glowing beacon, the sounds of beeping electronics coming from it.

"Look at it! Its...amazing! Unbelievable!" Kaidan exclaimed in awe, amazed by the sight. It was truly beautiful. Ashley, out of sheer curiosity, simply approached it, looking as if she was in the presence of god himself. Marcus shook his head as he let both of them examine the beacon, Marcus keying his comm, "Normandy, the beacon is secure. All enemy forces neatralized. We need immediate extraction, area looks bad. Yeah, bad as in like a nuclear bomb just fell. Nihlus is also KIA, we think a man named Saren Arterius might have been here and betrayed him. Recommend haste, that flagship just shot up into space like a overly energetic child going to the playground."

In the foreground, he noticed Ashley getting so close to the beacon, the glowing energy actually touched her. And that's all it took. Ashley immediately began struggling against an invisible force as she began moving forward, as if pulled by some unseen strings. "Commander!" Kaidan shouted, looking at him in a scared manner. Marcus nodded as he ran forward and wrapped his arms around Ashley's waist, throwing her out of the way. Instead of dragging Ashley, he felt himself being dragged forward until finally being lifted into the air and hanging there. His vision went blank as images flashed through his mind. He heard alienated screaming, the sounds of children crying, explosions, the sounds of weapons fire he had never heard before. He heard booming synthetic voices promising to bring about the extinction of entire civilizations. Then the images came.

He saw dying people, others begging for mercy before being slaughtered by...geth? The images were red and covered, like some horrible nightmare. He heard synthetic screaming, strings of red blood covering the images like a soaked camera lens. The images sped up, with more screaming, explosions, dying and decaying corpses, synthetic voices demanding submission and destruction, and finally he saw a bright, yellow sun, before zooming in on a darkened planet. The image zoomed on the planet and then he saw it, emerging from the darkness; the geth bug flagship, still in its squid like form, still immensely enormous as it approached him. Its words boomed, so organic and yet so synthetic. He oozed nightmares of another world.

**WE ARE THE END OF EVERYTHING.**

The images finally stopped, the world returning to him in a misty haze. He fell to the ground, and everything around him blackened out. He couldn't believe what he had just seen.

_If now was a time to shit scared, yeah, holy shit._

**{Loading...}**

_June 9, 2183_

_1002 hours._

_Unknown Region of Space, unboard unnamed Geth Flagship._

_Eden Prime War, Post-Battle._

_Spectre Saren Arterius, Matriarch Benezia M'Soni_

Saren sat on the bridge, idly looking at the wall in smug satisfaction.  _Eden Prime is destroyed and the humans failed to stop me. My geth army will be invaluable in attacking my ultimate goal. Those council fools won't see it coming._

**YOUR ORGANIC COLLECTIVE IS WEAK AND FRAGILE. WE ARE THE END OF EVERYTHING. YOU SHALL BE SPARED. YOU WILL NOT FALL IN THE COMING HARVEST.**

"Of course, Sovereign. I'm no use to you without my mind. My geth serve you faithfully."

**I DO NOT CARE FOR THE INFERIOR MACHINES. THEY SERVE A SINGULAR PURPOSE. WE SERVE MANY. THE MACHINES' WORSHIP OF US IS INSULTING. THEY WILL BE DESTROYED IN THE COMING HARVEST. THEY HAVE NOT GRANTED THEMSELVES SALVATION FROM WHAT IS YET TO COME. THEY KNOWN ME AS NAZARA. NAZARA IS MY TRUE DESIGNATION.**

"I apologize...Nazara. I meant no insult. I am also breeding an army of krogan to aid our cause. The Citadel will be yours."

**YOUR ATTEMPTS TO APPEASE ME ARE FRUITLESS UNTIL YOU HAVE ACHIEVED OUR GOAL. THE KROGAN WILL BE HARVESTED LIKE ALL THE REST. THEY WILL SERVE US AS CANNON FODDER ON THE BATTLEFIELD AS THEIR WORLDS FALL. ONE BY ONE. THE CITADEL WILL SERVE AS OUR GATEWAY INTO WHICH IS OURS. THEIR GOVERNMENT WILL BEG TO BE HARVESTED.**

"I do not aim to please anyone, much less appease, Nazara..."

**ASARI. MAKE YOUR PRESENCE KNOWN TO THIS ORGANIC. YOU CANNOT HIDE IN ME.**

Saren turned behind him to see the approaching form of Benezia. The asari was a matriarch, one of three stages of asari life, similiar to what teenagers and adults were to other species. The first stage is the Maiden stage where all asari hit puberty and begin to become curious of the world. They are restless, and most become mercenaries or strip dancers at this age. The Matron stage, the second stage begins at age 350, which, keep in mind, asari live for essentially ten centuries and signals their desire to settle and raise children. The Matriarch stage, the third and final stage, starts at age 700, and they are very wise, powerful and spend most of their time in asari space.

Benezia was a matriarch, and so she was pretty wise, wiser than him at least. She wore a helmet similiar to what a human greek warrior would wear, but the rest was made of brown cloth, no armor to speak of and the cloth was tightened so much that her cleavage and was unwantingly large and highly visible. He eyed her with a glare. Benezia and her asari commando servants had attempted to convince him to betray Sovereign, but Sovereign had retaliated and conquered the minds of herself and her servants. Now she served them fully and unquestionably, her mind owned by Sovereign.

The asari cleared her throat, "The colony of Eden Prime remains intact."

Saren widened his eyes at the revelation.

**THE MACHINES FAILED TO DESTROY THE PITIFUL COLONY. EXPLAIN THEIR FAILURE. WE DEMAND IT.**

"A human alliance vessel responded to the distress call; I identified it as the Normandy SR-1...a stealth frigate. Commander Shepard was onboard. He managed to save the colony." Benezia said with cold efficiency, as if reading off a shopping list of what weapons to buy to kill her neighbours. Saren cursed in turian.  _Shepard? That human idol saved the colony? Great, defeated by a coincidence. This hero needs to be destroyed. And what if Anderson is with him? That human has caused enough problems for me already, him and his human girlfriend._

"And the beacon?" Saren asked in a cold, uncaring tone. If Shepard had managed to reach the beacon...Sovereign would be furious. Hopefully the geth had been competent enough to do that.

"The humans may have used it. Shepard tapped into it, but it exploded." Saren started on that, infuritated.

**UNACCEPTABLE. UNACCEPTABLE. FIND THIS HUMAN AND DESTROY HIM. HE CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO DELAY THE HARVEST ANY FURTHER. IT HAS BEEN DELAYED LONG ENOUGH.**

Saren immediately raced forward, growling in frustration as he wrapped his talon around Benezia's neck and threw her into the wall, snarling and hissing. Finally calming down, he spoke. "I want this human, Shepard, eliminated. Dead. Along with his ship destroyed." Benezia nodded and Saren released his vice like grip, backing away. Beneiza spoke with renewed vigor.

"Jacobus has reported in. He's in pursuit of two quarians who may be trying to warn the Council of our plans."

"Names?" Saren asked.

"Tali'Zorah and Keenah'Butras." Benezia informed him.

**NAMES MEAN NOTHING. FIND THESE QUARIANS AND ELIMINATE THEM. THEY ARE A THREAT.**

"It shall be done." Benezia stated, "I've also found my daughter. Liara T'Soni. What should I do with her?"

**YOUR ASARI KINFOLK WILL SERVE US. BRING HER TO US FOR ASCENSION. IF SHE REFUSES, DESTROY HER.**

"Of course. Just because she is my daughter doesn't I shall show any mercy. She will either join us or die. I will depart for Therum immediately. I will have a geth cruiser take me there." Saren immediately shook his head, not out of disagreement, but because he didn't think Sovereign envied the idea of 'inferior machines' touching his hull, "No, when we return to Virmire, you can send a regiment of geth platforms and a frigate to that planet to deal with her, I need you for another mission. Nazara and I have discovered that a being called the Thorian resides on a human colony called Feros. It may hold the cipher and allow me to understand the visions so we can find the Conduit. While I go to Feros, I want you to take a geth continegent and some of your commandos to Noveria. Its a multi-racial colony, mostly corporate executives. I want you to find out what happened to our research facility there. We were breeding a army of Rachni there to reinforce our geth ground troops, not to mention breeding krogan cannon fodder on Virmire, but they've gone silent. Discover why. I will take Shiala and her squad with me. I need her mind-melding capabilities."

"As you wish, Saren." Benezia simply nodded looked out the viewport. Saren smiled, "Eden Prime was a major victory! The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit."

"And one step closer to the return of the Reapers."

**AND THE HARVEST SHALL BEGIN. ANEW.**

"Indeed." That was all Saren said as Sovereign, the dreadnought of unbelievable might and origin, glided through space towards Virmire; Saren's base of operations.

**"I don't think I fully understand, 001. 'Treachery is a man's sword?' What the hell is that meant to mean?"**

**\- Carter Dielheart.**

**"Some things hings should remain secret. That was Saren's greatest weapon; secrecy. He was hiding behind the Council's backs the whole time, even if they refused to realize it. Treachery was simply his sword, his handle. He used his friendships to murder good people in cold blood. Nihlus was just one of those poor bastards that came across him. Jenkins? I don't know if Saren's treacherous sword could be part of that."**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001**

**"But what about Tali'Zorah? We both know she played a huge role in Shepard's downfall. We also know Garrus Vakarian was largely involved."**

**\- Carter Dielheart.**

**"(chuckles) You're getting impatient. I'm getting to that. And she was far from old back then, no...(chuckles) Back then, she was young, and possibly the most vibrant person I ever met. Hell, I'm not surprised Shepard had fallen in love with the woman. Besides, what the fuck do you mean downfall? Mate, if anything, that quarian girl uplifted Shepard's tenfold. Without her round or that turian, Garrus, he would have fallen apart years ago and we wouldn't be sitting here having this nice conversation. No, instead we'd be picking the piles of crap left by the Reapers and living in the galactic center, dipshit."**


	6. Two Kinds of Idiocy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrus contends with a krogan bounty hunter. Tali is 'greeted' by C-Sec on the Citadel. Shepard presents his evidence to the Council, but doesn't get the response he needs.

**ENIGMA**

**CHAPTER FOUR:**

**TWO KINDS OF IDIOCY**

_June 16, 2183_

_1423 hours._

_Emporium, Presidium, Shalta Wards, The Citadel._

_Battlemaster Urdnot Wrex_

"Come on you puny pyjak, spit it out before he end up on the wrong end of my shotgun." Wrex said with pure loathing in his voice, the human squirming under his grasp, his eyes widened in terror at the krogan holding him.

He was in the middle of the Emporium at the time, and numerous asari, turians, salarians, humans, and many other civilians of the other races stared at him in shock, not daring to make a move. Asari may have biotics, but so did krogan battlemaster, and Wrex was the strongest battlemaster around. The store manager, a hanar named Ypris by face name, was trying to reason with the krogan, but to no aveil, "This one asks that you please let go of the human before I am forced to call C-Sec." Wrex gave the hanar a glare, and the jellyfish immediately backed off, flying back two meters. The hanar were very similiar to jellyfish on the human homeworld of Earth, and every time they talked, their body seemed to glow. They also regarded the Protheans as the Enkindlers, aka...gods. Stupid pyjaks.

Once finished staring off the hanar, he turned back to the human, unveiling a toothy grin. The human simply squirmed more, "Okay! Okay! Fist! His name is Fist!" Wrex rolled his eyes, "Yeah, I know that you retarded human, I meant where the hell is he?" The human simply gulped at the krogan, his pose not relaxing. Wrex could feel the Sokolov Shotgun on his waist even more now, feeling like he should just finish off the tiny human with a single blast. But he had a mission, and he would complete it.  _Think of the credits._

"I'm not telling you anything." The human said with some bravado, trying desperately to wriggle his way out of the powerful krogan's grasp. In response, he simply tightened his grip on the human, pushing him further into the tough, grey steel wall of the emporium. "Look, you want to live or not? Because my trigger-finger is getting REAL itchy and I'm not in the mood for..."

"Wrex, stand down! Stand down or we'll open fire!" Wrex snapped his look to his left and saw a full squad of C-Sec officers, mostly turian, all wearing Predator L model Medium Armor, save the single asari officer, who was wearing Hoplite model Medium Armor, all with their assault rifles and pistols levelled at him. Only one turian wasn't wearing any armor, his single haptic glass glowing over his right eye. The turian stepped forward, his sniper rifle holstered on his back, "Detective Sergeant Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security Services Special Weapons and Tactics, and I'm ordering you to put the human down and stand down now, Wrex!"

"Don't order me around, turian." He gave all the turians intimidating glares, letting them know he didn't like them one bit. It was the turians who had destroyed his people's future, along with their salarian allies. Garrus' pose didn't seem to change, and instead he simply stepped closer to Wrex, moving until there was 2 centimeters between their faces. "Leave...or my sniper rifle will find a new target." Wrex admired the turian's bravery and refusal to back down, but it didn't mean he liked him. Always respect your enemies was something he was taught by the Shaman, it was wise words. "Turian, I'll have my shotgun out faster than you can lower the scope."

"Think you can fire it before my men gun you down?" Garrus stated, reciprocating Wrex's firm glare with his own. It felt like it was being drawn on for hours, until Wrex finally reached a decision and dropped the human, backing off, "Whatever." Wrex prepared to walk off when Garrus' voice came up again, "You're looking for Fist?" Wrex didn't even turn around as he left, speaking to the turian as if he was a pest to be ignored, "I don't need your help, turian. Not from the likes of you. I'll deal with him myself." Garrus' only words were, "Well, he's at Chora's Den if you really want to see him, be careful though, he's not as accomadating as you are." Wrex shook his head at the turians' sarcasm, and refused to thank the turian for the information.

 _Aided by a turian, my people's enemy. Still, it helps me. Fist is as good as dead._ With even looking back, Wrex began to increase the pace of his walking until he was just below the Citadel Embassies, and had found a Rapid transit terminal. Accessing the main menu selection, he found what he wanted and found that Chora's Den was just outside the Lower Markets area, and was apparently a gentlemen's strip club.  _Hmph. Just the kind of place Fist would hide in, little pyjak coward. Time to pay him a visit._ He selected the Lower Markets area, waiting for the taxi to arrive. When it did, the door immediately flew open and he saw a petrified asari looking up at him, "Des...desti...destination...s-s-sir?" Wrex wanted to chuckle at the horrified look on the asari's face of allowing a krogan into her car, but resisted and sat in the seat next to her.

"Lower Markets, wasn't the message clear?" He stated, waiting for the door of the taxi to close before the asari flew the car out into the skyways of the Presidium, the vehicle disappearing into the depths of the wards. He heard the asari mutter under her breath, "Yeah, but yet again, they didn't say I was transporting a heavily armed krogan either." He decided he'd ignore the comment and the ride was very silent as they flew through the wards. Finally they arrived at the Lower Markets, the door opening to allow the krogan out. "I hope you...enj-enjoyed your tr-trip sir." Before Wrex could even respond as he turned around, the taxi had already sped off down the lane, going at speeds probably not even legal on the Citadel.  _Ha._

As he walked out onto the catwalk, he turned left to see the logo of Chora's Den, followed by the image of a young asari in a sexual pose.  _Strip club is right._ Without a second thought, Wrex marched straight towards Chora's Den, equipping his shotgun as he did.  _I have no plans on making my entrance discreet. Fist dies, same with his servants. Anyone else foolish enough to get in the crossfire can just die for all I care._ And with that, Wrex turned right and marched right for the door.

**{Rewind. Loading...}**

_June 16, 2183 (Translated Khelish Time)_

_Tenth Hour, Fifty-Two Minutes._

_Docking Bay D23, Citadel Docks, Shalta Wards, The Citadel._

_Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Marine Escort Keenah'Butras vas Rayya._

"Tali, wake up. Wake up my child."

Tali immediately felt her eyes shoot open to see her mother's face, Meru, looking down at her. Her face beamed brightly with a warm smile, her glowing silvery eyes burning brightly with bliss. Her hair was a silvery black color, while her lips were a crimson red color. Unlike Tali, she had no freckles, her face instead just the normal purple color with her skin being incredibly smooth. The woman held out her hand to help Tali up, and Tali took it, standing up. That's when she noticed. Her hand wasn't gloved.

Looking down she saw she was suitless, wearing nothing but a shirt and pants, her bare feet and hands sitting uselessly. She looked up at Meru and smiled, embracing her mother, "Mum!" Together they sat down in what was their quarters, with Tali's crib next to Rael and Meru's bed, the room barely making ten feet in width and length. She was confused by the crib's existence, as Meru had gotten rid of it when she first got her suit at age four, but had decided against asking. They gossiped, talked, laughed and shared sad stories, and then Meru shared tales of her own pilgrimage, saying it was much less eventful compared to Tali's.

"Tali, wake up. Seriously, now!"

"Looks like you're needed Tali." Meru stated, giving her one final smile.

"What? But I thought..." How could she have been so foolish? Her mother had died of a liveship wide infection years ago when she had just been seven. This was a dream, which explained the crib. She looked at her mother and felt tears welling up, "But I don't want you to go...I don't want to leave yet." Meru smiled and kissed Tali on the cheek, embracing her as she did, "I will always watch over you child, even if Rael has neglected you, the ancestors haven't it. I am with them now, and they have promised to protect you." Tali couldn't to sob in her deceased mother's arms, not wanting to wake up from the wonderful dream of seeing her mother again.

"Promise me you'll stay safe, my Tali. I may be gone from life, but I'm not gone forever. I'm still here, in your heart. Remember. Ancestors watch over you, little one, and may you find someone to cherish you as Rael did me. May you bare strong children and be there for them when I couldn't for you." Tali sighed, wrapping her mother in one final hug before murmuring the required words, " _Ikilish'varsi. I'nash'tolo'pah. Ailist'kil'tra'gro. Keelah Se'lai._ "

"I love you, Tali. Stay safe." She watched as her mother simpy vanished, and the room evaporated, leaving her in a empty void of blackness, her mother's words still echoing on the wind. Tali sobbed, long and hard, as the voice continued to order her awake.

"Come on suit-rat! Get up!" The voice wasn't Keenah's this time, and belonged to a more gruff one. Her eyes opened slowly in, inviting her to a world of fuzziness. She attempted to open them further, but felt them shoot right open after a huge amount of pain introduced itself to her stomach. Everything came into focus as she saw C-Sec officers all around them, mostly humans, but a few turians and salarians were among them as well. This particular human looked like the main authority of the group, and was the one responsible for hitting her in the chest, now staring down her visor with his assault rifle. Keenah was infront of her, kneeling on the floor with his hands ontop of his head, his eyes looking at her. One of the salarians fit glowing orange omni-cuffs around his wrists, lifting him off the ground and towards the door.

"Get up and kneel you stupid gypsy, stowing away on corporate property. Maybe we'll knock some sense into you with some questions." The human leader said, before motioning two turians towards her. She got up quickly and felt hand-cuffs secure onto her wrists, her hands peeled behind her back like Keenah's were and felt the two officers push her out of the ship. The crew of the ship gave Keenah and herself angry expressions, disgusted that two quarians managed to sneak onto their ship. She heard the mutters, and none of them were pleasant, "Should have them sentenced to the good old whip" "Bloody suit-rats" "Thieves, the lot of 'em!" "Vagabonds, gypsies, Vagrants!" "Useless suited rats" Tali simply looked at the ground in contempt and sadness.  _Ancestors watch over me. Yeah, they're doing a terrific job of that._

She felt herself shoved into the back seat of a police car along with Keenah, the officers not even bothering to untie the cuffs and reactivate them on their laps. It wasn't long before the car had taken off, and even less when they reached the C-Sec Interrogation Center for Shalta.  _This might be our only chance to give them the information. The galaxy is at risk, I can't let petty grudges get in the way!_ She continued to go along with them as the officers escorted them into the room and sat them down, leaving them alone with an angry looking turian. Only two officers stayed, both holding their weapons; her katana and Keenah's raptor.

Seeing the quarians before him as no threat, the turian interrogator ordered his subordinate officers to untie the cuffs, allowing Tali and Keenah to move their hands. "So, what are two quarians doing on the Citadel?" The turian began, giving Tali a focused glare, ignoring Keenah who was making rude quarian gestures with this hands. Tali reacted quickly, not wanting Keenah to let his anger get out of control, "I'm on my passage into adulthood. My rite of passage called a pilgrimage. Its where we..."

"So why would that require these?" The turian made a movement with his head, and Tali and Keenah's weapons dropped on the table, the turian examining them, "This quarian next to you has alot of training for one on pilgrimage. Disarmed two of my officers before we restrained him," the turian jabbed a talon at Keenah, "So would a little girl and a little boy need such training and weapons on such a significant rite?" the turian asked in a mocking tone, obviously not caring what answer they gave him, they'd been caught sneaking onto corporate property, something that was illegal no matter the reason.

Before Tali could respond, Keenah spoke first, "To protect ourselves from racist  _U'lai_ like you,  _bosh'tet._ " Tali snapped a glare at Keenah that told him to shut up and let her handle this. Keenah noticed her glowing eyes focusing on him, and he immediately shut up. The turian and a raised brow at Keenah and looked at him threateningly, "Mind if you tell me what that means, suit-rat?" Tali shook her head and tried to salvage the situation, "I'm sorry for my colleague's reaction sir, he's a little defensive. He's my unionmate." Keenah snapped a look at Tali, and she could tell he was shocked, but she simply gave him a wink, which told him to shut up.

The turian laughed, "Suit-rat lovers. And I thought I'd seen everything repulsive in this galaxy. Look, I don't care if he's your adopted brother, just keep him on a leash like good little pet." Keenah's fists tightening didn't go unnoticed, and many officers around him seemed to tighten their grips on their weapons. The turian interrogator waved a hand for them to stand down, and that they did, but they stayed vigilant.

His gaze fixed back on Tali, obviously seeing her as the more 'mature' of the pair. It was the other way round, as Keenah was at least thirteen years older than her, but she didn't dare mention that. Her hands seemed to enter a nervous dance on her lap, and she tried to panic. Finally, the turian asked her the one question she had been hoping for, "So why did you do it? Sneaking away on a cargo ship?" Tali looked up at him and smiled behind her mask, finally being able to inform someone of authority.

"We went to Illium to try and warn them of a imminent threat to the security of Council Space. They didn't listen and our shuttle was destroyed, so we had no choice but to sneak onboard. Your government needs this information! Its extremely important!" The turian raised a brow and chuckled, "Do tell. I love stories." Tali seemed ignorant about the remark as she continued, "The Geth. We encountered them in the Hades Nexus. We managed to take one out and access its memory, and we found out a turian named Saren and some other woman were in charge of a geth armada preparing to invade Council space. They stated that they had just won a major battle at Eden Prime and were planning to bring back some race called the Reapers. The galaxy is in severe danger, this information must reach the Council!"

The turian looked at her, "So...what's your name?" The turian sounded dead serious, like he was actually listening. Tali smiled at her victory and answered happily, "Tali...Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. This is Keenah'Butras-" She didn't get to finish as she saw the turian's mandible break into a grin.

"Well miss nar Rayya, that is...THE most ridiculous story I've ever heard! Did your mummy teach you that one? Clearly not ready for adulthood, clearly." The turian simply laughed his head off as he smashed his fists against the table repeatedly, the other officers also chuckling at his expense. Tali's eyes widened in shock and...fury. She immediately jumped up and the officers ceased their laughter, raising their rifles. She grabbed the interrogator's shoulders and thrust him into the table, "My mother is dead YOU BOSH'TET SCUMBAG!" The other officers jumped on her and forced her back into the seat, one punching her across the side of the face, knocking her into submission.

The interrogator looked at her, his smile gone and replaced with anger, tiny specs of purple blood dripping behind his mandible as he wiped it, "Quarian animals, your entire species is! We should have destroyed your fleet when we had the chance. We will continue this interrogation, and I've been trying to treat you as humanely as possible," Keenah coughed in the background and she saw he muttered, "Sure..." in a sarcastic tone, "but I'm done playing diplomacy. Now I'll treat you like the filth you are. I'm done playing mister nice guy."

"Wasn't aware you had been to start with." Keenah retorted. Another office simply hit him in the back of the head with the butt of his rifle again, shutting the marine up. Tali sighed as the interrogation dragged on. Six hours later, and the interrogation finally ended, with Tali and Keenah being thrown outside. The interrogator finally said, "I'm letting you go quarians, but only with the exception that you leave the Citadel and never come back. I see you here again and I'll shoot you myself, filthy mobile dung." Keenah managed to recover first and helped Tali up, looking back at the turian as they left, "Hope your spirits are able to remove that piece of metal stuck up your ass, asshole." The turian hissed and snarled and Keenah simply smiled smugly as he helped Tali into the elevator, the door closing behind them as it began its ascent into C-Sec Academy.

"My pilgrimage is a disater. My father will be so disappointed in me." Keenah looked at Tali upon her pessimistic remark, putting a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it for emphasis, "Don't blame yourself Tali, its these bosh'tet security officers. They can laugh at us all they want, but in the end we know the cold-hard facts. Now would be a good time to get this to the Admiralty Board. The information I mean." Tali looked at Keenah and was about to refute his comment but immedately realized that he was right. Only the admiralty would take something about the geth seriously.

"You're right Keenah, and C-Sec will probably gun us down if they see us again, but what about transportation? Our shuttle was destroyed, remember?" Keenah nodded solemnly and entered pensive thought, thinking of multiple ways to get back to the Citadel. Sneaking aboard a ship was definitely not an option this time and hijacking a vessel wasn't considered a capital crime back on the fleet, punishable by treason and exile from the fleet. Tali had just about given up on saving the Council species; what had they ever done for her people except threaten to blow them up or simply shrug them off as annoying parasites. The Admiralty were the only ones smart enough to take a course of action but even then, what if they thought like she did and decided to watch on as the Council burned? Would they then fly in and say, 'I told you so'?

It wasn't long before they had finally arrived at C-Sec Academy and stepped out into the area. The glass door simply shut behind them, two guards standing on each side of the door. Stairs rose up in front of them to another elevator that connected to the wards and presidium, with the room splitting up into three sections; left of them lead to a C-Sec holding room, numerous offices and Traffic Control. Right lead to the Spectre Requisitions office while the area behind them had an elevator directly connected to the Presidium. People moved around in large crowds, most of them C-Sec raw recruits or veteran officers. Keenah rose his finger in a epiphany, "That's it! Tali, come with me! I know where we can get help!" They decided to access the rapid transit system and called a taxi to take them to the Presidium Commons.

The driver wasn't exactly comfortable about having quarians in her vehicle, but didn't seem to mind as long as they payed up. Keenah immediately turned to her and began to explain, "During my pilgrimage I met this salarian named Chorban, he showed me great kindness on my rite of passage. He has access to alot of shuttles, so maybe I can ask him for a favor. I did save his ass from a krogan that tried to kill him after all." Tali laughed at the thought of Keenah actually tackling a krogan, but shook it out of her head when she felt the taxi land.

Handing the driver their credit chits on the way out, they headed directly for the C-Sec Outpost, where Chorban was said to hang out the most, Keenah stating he was trying to find out the 'secrets of the keepers' or something. Tali never really understood the keepers. They were a insectoid species that walked like a insect, had six legs, and bug like eyes. They didn't talk and the only thing they did was to maintain the Citadel. Noone knew where they originated or whether they had somekind of insect hive hidden deep in some unaccessible part of the Citadel, they were enigmatic and very creepy.

The Presidium Commons held up to the main Presidium and was absolutely amazing; cafes and shops of all kinds, accompanied with a bank, were located all over the place and dotted to and from were trees and numerous plants from all kinds of different planets, with a flowing river down below and the majestic skyline of the Presidium ring interior. It was majestic, amazing and most of all, beautiful. Keenah and herself intermingled with the crowd, which seemingly broke apart at the sight of them, not wanting to even touch or look at them; it saddened her but also allowed them to move through without interruption.

Finally they reached the C-Sec outpost, but there was no sign of Chorban. Tali and Keenah had to dodge aside as Avina, the Citadel's VI travel interface and tourist guide, asked them to move aside as a Keeper walked past, seemingly moving to its next mundane repair, construction or piece of work. Nodding their thanks to the VI (Virtual Intelligence), they continued searching for Chorban, but could not find the salarian anywhere.

"I'll try and contact him. I hope he uses the same extranet email address." Keenah said, bringing up his omni-tool and accessing what seemed like a archive of addresses, locations and contacts. "Ah-ha! Got it! Now I just..." A young voice interrupted him, but it definitely wasn't friendly, "Hey! Didn't Lieutenant Gyuras tell you to get lost?" They turned to see an asari officer pointing her rifle at them, "I was there, so don't play stupid with me."

"We were just finding a way off..."

She didn't get to finish as a gunshot went off and everything became a dizzying haze.

**{Loading...}**

_June 16, 2183_

_1425 hours._

_Lower Wards, Area Outside Chora's Den, Shalta Wards, The Citadel._

_Detective Sergeant Garrus Vakarian._

_Come on Wrex, what are you up too?_ Garrus mused as he sighted the gigantic krogan down the sights of his Equalizer model sniper rifle, given to him by his father, the hulking form of the behemoth seemingly looking at Chora's Den with a weary eye. Garrus kept his finger on the trigger, incase the krogan was looking to hurt civilians. If Wrex was after Fist, he'd sure as hell watch his back. He was sick and tired of Palin and Entricas not doing anything, it was time to make a move of his own. No longer would he sit and watch idly as C-Sec screwed over the civilian populace, it was time he made a difference.  _Just like you wanted father._

He watched as the krogan pulled out his shotgun, the weapon looking lengthy and extremely dangerous, and watched as he stormed towards Chora's Den, weapon raised.  _Yeah, he's definitely about to make a mess._ He strongly considered calling in reinforcements, but remembered they'd probably kill Wrex and save Fist's ass.  _Not this time. This scumbag dies, now._ Garrus then collapsed his rifle into a more compact form and jumped off his vantage point, attempting to find a area in which he could snipe into the club. He tried and tried, but he could never find the right spot in which he could assist the krogan killing machine, but time was running out, and he wanted to be the one that put the bullet straight through Fist's smug face.

Just when he thought his efforts were redundant and was about to charge in with his assault rifle, his comm crackled to life and he heard Bailey's voice come through it, "Garrus? I know your there." Garrus rolled his eyes and keyed his comm, "You have reached the telephone of Garrus Vakarian, please leave a message." He was chuckling inside until he heard Bailey's response, "Very funny Garrus, but comms don't have answering machines." Garrus rolled his eyes at the human's statement of the obvious and responded dutifully, "You're such a killjoy. So, what does Captain Criminal Appeaser want now?" Bailey knew he meant Entricas, but his response was completely unexpected, "Nothing. I came to tell you that I might have found something for your case against Saren."

"I'm listening, Bailey. Don't keep me hanging." Garrus felt awkward after saying the human idiom, but after being around Bailey it stuck. He waited for the human's response, and it came hurriedly, "You know those two quarians? Yeah well they just arrived on the Citadel, stowed away on some cargo ship, interrogated for six hours then told to leave. But they didn't, and last I heard one of our officer's found them at the Presidium Commons. You want your lead? You just found it." Garrus was amazed by Bailey's competence and ability to get information fast, but yet again, he was probably one of the officer's to have collected it in the first place.

"Thanks Bailey, I owe you for this. I'll be right there." Garrus stated, letting the sniper rifle fall and magnetically connect to his back.

"Damn right you do, Batman. Bailey out." Garrus chuckled at the nickname given to him by his fellow officers due to his roguish way of doing his job, and disconnected the comm link turning to the nearest rapid transit terminal and selecting the Presidium Commons, waiting for the taxi to arrive before stepping into it and waiting to arrive. The Shalta Wards sped past as his taxi closed in on the Commons, readying his datapad and trying to get as much information he could scrounge up on these two quarians.

From what the interrogation managed to acquire, their names were Tali'Zorah nar Rayya and Keenah'Butras vas Rayya, the former being a female on some kind of rite of passage, while the latter was her boyfriend or something, and had been assigned to protect her. The girl claimed to have evidence that invoked Saren has a traitor to the Council and that he had a large geth army under his command. It seemed alittle farfetched, but Garrus wasn't the kind to ignore farfetched claims, he was the kind to actually investigate them.  _Saren needs to be stopped, and only the Council can do that by revoking his Spectre status._

"Sir, we're arriving at the Commons." The driver stated, setting the car to autopilot so as to look at Garrus. He nodded his thanks, "Park next to the outpost." The driver nodded as she deactivated the autopilot and brought the car down towards the outpost. Upon feeling the car land, he hit the door and slid it open, stepping out onto the tiles of the Presidium and closing the door and watching it take off, disappearing behind one of the many buildings, the synthetic sun shining on its plating. Garrus was about to turn and head up the stairs when he noticed a sudden fact; it was disturbingly quiet. Turning around, he noticed that there was noone around.  _How the hell did I not notice this before?_

Looking up he looked up at the news screens and saw that they weren't transmitting datafeeds but said the simple words 'Evacuation In Progress' streaming across the screen. He equipped his rifle and prepared to move up, but a voice called out to him, "Garrus!" He turned to see Constable Samuel Ghost running up to him, the man being known for his racism towards quarians and krogan, and for some odd reason, towards turians as well. He looked at the source of the shout, seeing the human running up to him, "I heard you were arriving, sir."

"What the hell is going on here, Constable? Evacuation in progress? Are we under mercenary attack? If so we should have SWAT moving in..." He stopped suddenly when he saw Sam's shake of his head, nodding up the stairs directly at the outpost, "Gunman. Turian. Two quarians were talking with one of our officers when the gunman opened fire. You'd better take a look for yourself." Garrus nodded and let Sam lead him up the stairs, to which they found a gruesome sight. He saw a dead asari C-Sec officer with her rifle under her collapsed form, blue blood streaming from her corpse in a bloody pool. A trail of red blood lead away from the scene, heading straight for the elevator, followed by a even thicker pool of blood, the origin being a gruesome, rotting pile of destroyed flesh. Garrus moved up and kneeled next to the dead officer, shaking his head.

"Bullet wound straight through the forehead, she didn't have her kinetic barriers up. The blood trail leads towards the elevator, which means the sniper must have been over behind Aegohr Munitions," he said, pointing towards the store just down the stairs, "The evident low blood flow in one trail and the heavier amount in the other means both survived and are on the move, but one of them is heavily wounded, and judging by the scattered gunshells, I'd say they're being pursued."

"By who sir? And why are these quarians so important? SWAT is inbound but if that gunman isn't just some madman and is an actual assassin, don't you think we should call in proper Special Tasks Group operatives? I don't think SWAT has the resources to hunt down an assassin, even if he's just a mercenary. Garrus pondered this. STG or Special Tasks Group were the Salarian Union's Special Operations/Black Ops Division of the military, and they had quite alot of operatives on the Citadel. They were technically the salarian version of what human's called the 'Central Intelligence Agency' or CIA back on Earth, and were highly trained in espionage, counter-assassination, assassination and dealing discreetly with military threats.

 _Is it too coincidental that both quarians came under attack JUST when they attempt to provide the information? Whoever it was, they were hired to kill them to stop them from talking. Which means Saren is on to them, that's providing he's a traitor or not._ He turned to Sam, "Tell the SWAT units to send in a single squad to secure the area, set up a perimeter and secure any fatalities. I'm going to follow the trail and rescue those quarians." Sam immediately nodded, keying his omni-tool to make the nessacary communications while Garrus began following the blood trail. It wasn't long before he found where it ended, but it wasn't at the elevator, but instead over the railing and down below. He gulped as he realized where they were heading.

 _The Garbage Disposal Plant. That place is full of machinery that could easily kill them if they're not careful._ Then he smiled at his realization.  _But they know that, they're attempting to either get their pursuer to back off or lure him to his death. Clever._ Due to the fact that there were no hospitals in the immediate vicinity, as Huerta Memorial wasn't yet complete, he knew the quarians could only head for one place.  _Dr. Michel._ Without further thought, he decided not to risk the shuttles and began proceeding on foot Palin's office. He had to know about the quarians, and he had to know now.

_Or those quarians are as good as dead._

**{Loading...Rewind}**

_August 19, 2176_

_Time Stamped Unknown, Communications Down._

_Somewhere near the City Center, Outside Greek Markets, Valhalla City, Elysium._

_First Lieutenant Marcus Lee Shepard._

"Roshia, rear flank! Batarians are making a push! Damn it, Nathan, see what you can do about that goddamn gunship! Joseph, Zach, Thomas, follow me! We'll hold the forward position! Don't let a single enemy soldier behind us or we're finished!" He heard a rocking cacophony of affirmatives before he nodded to the trio following just behind him, his tech specialist, Joseph, preparing an overlord while his sniper, Thomas, attempted to locate a vantage point for him to take down the batarian troops.

Executing a forward roll, Marcus was able to reach cover just as the staccato beat of weapons fire erupted, gunshots whizzing over his head, two hitting home on his kinetic barriers as he readied his Avenger assault rifle, equipping incendiary rounds. Over the sound of the weapons fire he could hear Joseph activate his overload and that was followed by the pounding sound of a sniper rifle going off, soon followed in itself by the sound of ripping flesh.

Without waiting, Marcus peered up and opened up with his rifle, hitting a closing batarian square in the chest, his scream of pain showing up as blood oozed out of the wound and he fell to the ground, wreathing in pain. Finishing off the merc, he located a second soldier attempting to rush Joseph but before he could, he was gunned down from the combined fire of his avenger, and Joseph's Edge pistol.  _Damn mercs, bring a whole bloody army of 10,000, and none of them are able-bodied enough to bring kinetic barriers, fucking idiots. This is more like World War II style warfare then anything else, except we have the cutting-edge technology._

He immediately ducked as he felt the vibration of a rocket impacting the rubble near by, sending up dust that choked the air. He prepped a smoke screen and threw it, preparing a flanking maneveur. He heard Roshia's voice over the comm, "Sir! Please help me! I've got a battalion sized enemy force converging on my six and my position's being turned into swiss cheese! Can't hold, I repeat, can't hold! How copy?" Marcus cursed under his breath as he looked at the regiment sized batarian group hammering them, but they were a four-man squad, Roshia was a lone wolf. The following explosion indicated Nathan had disposed of the gunship. Good.

"Roger that Roshia, just hold on! I'm coming! Nathan, get your ass to Roshia now! She's getting pelted! I'm going to try round the buildings and flank the battalion from behind. Risky, but were out of options." He looked at the trio now left to defend the position, and it was clear they weren't going to hold, "Thomas! You're in command! If enemy resistance gets too hot I want you to fall back into the buildings! And contact Sarann, I want a status update on the civilian evac!" Thomas simply nodded before returning to his sniping spree, allowing Marcus to rush into the buildings, not feeling any bullets hitting him, which meant the trio must have the batarian's full attention. Good.

The city was a warzone, and it had a look to fit. The once blue and white colored buildings for human architecture were now nothing but rubble, the scene like something out of a movie about World War II. The batarians had hit hard and swifty, initiating an orbital bombardment, which was only the harbinger for their ground force, which initated a blitzkrieg across the city, the bombardment serving to weaken the defenses sufficiently enough for the batarians to rush in uncontested. Now only his platoon was still resisting; all others had either fallen back, evacuated, or were dead.

Numerous cars lay on the streets with their cockpits shattered and destroyed, while the dead bodies of alliance soldiers, batarian mercenaries and the occassional civvie lay all over the place, decaying from the wounds received, the smell becoming so putrid that they had to turn off the olfactory filters in their helmets. He rushed into one of the nearby greek buildings, trying his best to ignore the sight of mangled and shredded bodies of greek employees blown to pieces by the blast of a nearby orbital round. He had been talking with Roshia when the attack happened, the two of them being close friends.

Forcing the nearby door to open, as the main console had been blown to smithereens, he immediately leapt out into the empty alleyway, pieces of trash littered the area, and he smiled as he saw a dog bark at him, its tail not wagging, meaning it was scared. He raised his rifle and saw varren charge through the street, their batarian owners rushing alongside them towards Roshia's position.  _War Beasts._ He motioned for the dog to sit, before moving up and past the collapsed section of roof on a makeshift hut, making sure not to catch the attention of the passing batarians.

Then heard Nathan's voice crackle through his comms, "Yeah, I get it Roshy! Varren! I'll gun down the vermin, you take out those snipers. Mark, don't know where the hell you are, but we could really use some assistance right about now. Not to mention Sarann sounds like he's got a stick up his ass." Marcus keyed his comm, "Copy that, relay Sarann through to me. Oh and Nathan, remember this, Sarann ALWAYS has a stick up his ass. What the hell do you think the business with 'creeds' was?"

"Point. Just hurry your old ass up, Shepard. We ain't got all week." Seeing the batarians had moved on, he ran across the street and into the frontyard of an abandoned church, making sure not to attract any attention as Sarann boomed through his comm, "Let's just say Mark that you owe me a year's worth worth of Ice Cream when this is over. I'm sweating like a pig, and these civilians are so jumpy its like they expect satan to leap out and start eating them." Marcus shook his head at Sarann's antics. They would have been funny, had they not been dealing with a planetside evacuation.

"Quit the shit Sarann and give me a status update. Now. And you can make it half a year's worth." He rushed out from behind his cover and charged straight towards Roshia and Nathan's position, who having immediate trouble with charging Varren.

"Whoa mate, quit your bitching. Lets just say that three-quarters of the populace is evacuated, but if Luke Skywalker doesn't magically appear and pull a indestructible fleet out of his ass we're going nowhere." Marcus nodded as he grabbed a nearby batarian's head and smashed it into the concrete, blood splattering all over the place before joining Roshia, who had tears going down her cheek and looked like she was having a mental breakdown.  _Damn it._ "Look Sarann, now's not the time, I just need you to do what you can until reinforcements arrive. I don't care if you have to shoot rainbows out of your mouth, just do something! Shepard out." He then looked at Roshia and turned her to face him.

"I can't do this! I'm...I didn't sign up for this! I didn't sign up for any of this! I didn't think I'd be...oh god, oh god!" Marcus tried his best to calm the woman down, but she just seemed to get more hysterical. She was new, and she had never been prepared for this. A batarian voice called out, "Surrender humans!" Swelling in anger, Marcus swam in biotics as he leapt up, " _Shakli b'tahat!_ " Marcus spat in hebrew as he launched a shockwave of pure biotic energy towards the hostiles, sending at least four of them flying. He attempted to move back behind cover but when he did, he saw Roshia missing behind him. He heard an explosion and turned to see Roshia, who had been trying to fall back, but got hit by a rocket and sent flying into the air.

"No! You  _Chel'at ha'min ha'enoshi!_ " He turned back to the batarians, still cursing in his native language, spouting curses at his enemies as everything went blurry and he heard a familiar voice, one that filled him with dread.

**WE ARE THE END OF EVERYTHING.**

_June 16, 2183_

_1352 hours._

_Medical Bay, Normandy-Class Stealth Frigate SSV Normandy SR-1, In FTL Inbound for the Citadel._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Medical Chief Karin Chakwas._

His eyes immediately shot open. He saw the clear, steely grey ceiling of the medical bay, as he woke up, his body not yet used to the sudden lighting. "Doctor! Doctor Chakwas! I think he's waking up!" He recognized the voice and remembered that it belonged to Ashley.  _Dr. Chakwas? So I'm not on Eden Prime. That, or the doc left the ship, no, she wouldn't do that. She's not a battlefield medic._ He moved up and sat on the edge of the bed, seeing that both Ashley and Doctor Chakwas were looking at him worriedly.

"Commander, you had us worried there for a moment. How are you feeling? Dizziness? Stomach pains? Migraines from your implants?" Marcus shook his head at each and every suggestion and finally spoke, "Really, doc. I'm fine." Chakwas didn't seem convinced and continued to examine Shepard for a while longer until he finally spoke up, breaking the awkward silence, "How long was I out?"

"You might find this surprising, but you've been out for six days, we were about to count this as your seventh, but you woke up so...yeah." Chakwas stated, smiling at Marcus' shocked expression.  _Shit. Six days? That's crazy! But...what about the beacon? And Saren? The Geth? The colony!_ As if reading his thoughts, Ashley spoke up first, "The beacon knocked you out cold, the Lieutenant and I brought you back up to the ship." Marcus nodded, "Thanks Williams, you did good down there." He couldn't help but notice the smile that curved Ashley's lips at his compliment. Chakwas' voice once again took the stage.

"The beacon exploded shortly after you lost consciousness, a system overload perhaps, we don't know, unforuneately we'll never know what set it off in the first place." Ashley lost her smile as she looked at the ground solemnly, "Its all my fault, I got too close and you had to push me out of the way."

Marcus shook his head, "You had no idea what could have happened, it wasn't your fault." Ashley nodded, seeming to regain some of her vigor as she stiffened at the sound of the door opening. Looking back he saw Anderson smile at him as he stopped next to Ashley. "Commander, how are you feeling?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. Marcus held up his hands to reassure the man, "I'm fine sir." Chakwas still wasn't convinced.

"Fine? I noticed a increase in your heartbeat, and a increase in rapid eye movement. Signs typically assiociated with intense REM sleep." Marcus sighed as he nodded, recollecting the events of his dream, "I was back on Elysium, and watched as Roshia died. Then...this voice, it keeps saying 'we are the end of everything.' It booms with this...horrible voice that makes you shiver. Its like your worst nightmares coming up and striking you, its scary. But there was this vision I got from the beacon. I saw...I'm not sure what I saw...death? destruction? Nothing's really clear."

Anderson looked at Chakwas and Ashley, "I need to talk to the Commander...in private." Ashley simply responded with a nod and crisp salute, before marching out of the room, quickly followed by the kind doctor, the door sliding shut behind both of them. Anderson then turned back to Marcus, "We'll be arriving at the Citadel soon." Marcus widened his eyes at that. The Citadel. Rumors held that it was the most majestic, and by the far the largest, space station in existence, serving as the capital of Council space. The space even dwarfed Jump Zero, the Alliance's largest space station. He'd never seen it before, and to be going to visit? It was the chance of a lifetime.

"The Citadel sir? Why there? What happened on Eden Prime?" He asked the captain, noticing his commanding officer stiffen after the questions. He let a sigh escape his parched lips.

"Eden Prime was a disaster, Commander. Jenkins and Nihlus ended up dead, the beacon was destroyed, they're large civilian fatalities to account for and the geth escaped with the enemy flagship which has disappeared right off the grid. The Council has lost one of their spectres, and they demand to know why. We both know who to blame for this. Saren, that other turian. Damn it, I should have known it was him from the moment I met him."

Marcus snapped a look at the veteran, "You've met him before, captain?"

"Yes, it was during this mission, we were working together. I was working to become a Spectre once, humanity's first, but then Saren screwed the mission so badly and blamed it on me, that the Council withdrew my candidacy. Saren killed thousands of innocents and blamed it on me. I've hated that scaly bastard ever since, but now he's back, and he hates humans. Something about his brother dying to us just after the First Contact War."

"Just how dangerous is Saren sir?" Marcus asked, wondering what enemy they could be facing.

"I know Saren. His reputation, his politics. He won't stop until his wiped humanity from the face of the galaxy. He thinks us a blight on the galactic community. This attack was an act of war, and even now the Alliance is mobilizing for direct military action! And if Saren's got an army of geth under his command...he was dangerous enough on his own. With them he could possibly wage war on the entire Council if even the chance but if we can prove he's a traitor, not only will the Council revoke his spectre status..."

"They'll unite the Council races to fight with the Alliance and push the geth back to the Perseus and kill Saren!" Marcus exclaimed, seeing the plan that Anderson had formed. The captain confirmed his thoughts with a smile, "Exactly. But first we have to present this to the Council. Now you mentioned some kind of vision? A vision of what exactly?"

Marcus focused on the horrible images now stuck in his mind, the pictures so frightening and graphic it made him want to just shake himself out of them, "I see...geth. Slaughtering people. Butchering them. And then..."

**WE ARE THE END OF EVERYTHING.**

"What the hell are you!" he shouted, shaking himself of the images. Anderson raised a brow at him, showing a gesture of concern, "Commander, are you okay? Who are you talking about?" The image of the gigantic squid ship appeared in Marcus' mind, surprising him with the amount of graphic detail, "I have no idea Anderson, but its something horrible. I've never seen anything like it, but I keep getting this odd feeling that the geth and Saren are the least of our problems. Like there is something worser at work."

"Like what? What could be worse than an armada of geth lead by a rogue turian spectre?" Anderson asked, trying to sound comical, but failing as the concern flooded out into his voice. Marcus simply shrugged.

"It's probably nothing. Maybe its Saren, I don't know. I'm ready for duty if I'm allowed back." Marcus stated, trying to change the subject from his odd visions. For now they were hidden away, but the machine's words still echoed in his mind, repeated in the same synthetic, deep undertone. Over and over again. Anderson simply nodded.

"As I said, we should be arriving at the Citadel soon. Come on, we should get to the cockpit." Marcus simply nodded, jumping off the bed and taking a quick stretch, hearing each and every one of his muscles pop. Once done, he followed Anderson out of the medbay and past the mess hall, in which Ashley joined them. "Commander, I just heard about Jenkins down on Eden Prime. I'm so sorry, I hadn't realized what happened." Marcus tilted his head downwards at the memory of Jenkins' gaze frozen in his mind, and then shook it away as he felt the vision returning, "Yeah. I made a bad call and I ended up paying for it. I didn't count on the enemy having drones, and that's what got him killed." He blamed himself, just like he had blamed himself for Roshia's death on Elysium. And both of them had been raw rookies, Roshia more so as she had been only a private second class.

"I feel bad, replacing him. I don't belong here. I should probably just ask for reassignment or somethin," Ashley began, but Marcus immediately cut her off, "I will have none of that Williams, you earned your place on this team by your skill, not by a soldier's death. Jenkins will be remembered among this crew as doing his duty to the end, while you will continue his memory by fighting in his name. Understood?" Ashley looked at him with a warm smile as they climbed up the leftward stairs, looking back ahead as she answered.

"Hell yeah, sir." She answered cheerily, and the rest of the walk to the cockpit was uneventful until Joker decided he'd make a few wise crack jokes, "Great. Now not only do we have genocidal flashlight heads out to kill us all with some kind of gigantic sperm ship, not to mention a turian with a pole up his ass about us humans, but now Mister Charlie Chaplain and Pole Up His Ass The Second are dead. That spells fantastic all over it." Joker finished with his voice dripping of sarcasm. Marcus was about to retaliate verbally, but Ashley beat him to it.

"You think this is some kind of fucking joke? That people are dead and your sitting here, joking around about it?" She said angrily, annoyed by the pilot's attitude.

"Hey, do you think they called me Joker because I wear facepaint and is hunted down by a man in a bat costume? No, they call me Joker because I joke around." He said, less sarcastically and more seriously. Kaidan immediately broke in from his seating next to Joker, "That's actually true. His drill instructor nicknamed him Joker out of the irony in the fact that he never smiled, at all, during classes and worked really hard, so the nickname was born." Marcus chuckled at the story, turning to look at the pilot, Anderson simply grinning nearby. Even Ashley managed to force a grin.

"What? I didn't make this position by making children laugh you know, I ain't some clown you find from the parade down street. If we're giving out nicknames, then maybe I should call the Commander 'Slayer', Ashley 'Doom Gloom' and Kaidan 'Lightbulb'. Oh, and the Captain gets to be called 'Pole Up His Ass The Third.'" Everyone laughed, even Anderson, "Be careful Joker, you only get certain privledges with me. Now bring us into dock. Shepard, take Ashley and Kaidan and get suited up." Marcus simply raised an eyebrow, "You want us to wear armor to a Council meeting? You expect them to whip out pistols and shoot us?"

"No, but this place is the Citadel. It looks all calm and peaceful on the outside, but the crime rate in this place is HIGH. Better to have it and not need it..." Anderson stated.

"...then need it and not have it." Marcus finished, motioning for Ashley and Kaidan to follow him back to the armoury to refit their armor. It had taken only twenty minutes, and they were soon back at the bridge, ready to leave. They were just in time to watch the Normandy dock with the Citadel when they arrived.

"Welcome to the Citadel, please enjoy your stay" said another voice through the comm before disconnecting. Joker responded, "Roger that Citadel Control, Normandy out." Without further thought, Anderson, himself and his squad stepped into the decontamination unit in the airlock, the annoying VI voice stating it was decontaminating the chamber.

"The Commanding Officer is ashore. XO Shepard has the deck." The VI finished, voice vanishing. Marcus raised a brow, which got a chuckle from the captain, "Pressly has the deck, he knows that, I'll get that VI fixed." Marcus simply shrugged it off and motioned for his squad to follow him and Anderson into a nearby elevator, the glass door closing behind them as it began to descend. Corny music began playing over the comm, followed by numerous news reports. Most of them circulated the latest geth attack on Eden Prime, which appeared to be a headline story.

After a painfully long time, they finally arrived in a unknown sector of the Citadel, which had stairs rising up to another elevator, a three way room and multiple armed guards and civilians walking around, "Welcome to C-Sec Academy, Enjoy your stay." The VI directory stated, and Marcus realized he must have been at the police cadets academy. Anderson didn't even stop for the sights as he approached a glowing terminal, selecting a button that said, 'Citadel Embassies: Presidium.' He simply smiled at them as the taxi arrived, picking them up and taking them directly to Anderson's assigned destination.

The embassies bussled with activity, hanar, volus, asari, turians, salarians and humans to and from places around the area, visiting either their own embassies or others. Walking up the stairs and down a long corridor, it wasn't long before they entered the human embassy, a angry looking human waiting for them.

"Captain Anderson, I just had a meeting with the Council. They were...less than happy with your accusations, so you'd better hope the evidence you have is accurate, if you have any." Anderson simply rolled his eyes at the politician while Marcus eyed him up and down. He wore a simple light orange jumper, with jeans and boots, while his face was something else. His hair was grey with age, while his face was rugged like a man made of politics, his jawline firm. Anderson motioned towards the man.

"Ambassador Donnel Udina, he's the representitive for humanity...unfortunately, he's the best politican, so you'll have to excuse his..." he shot Udina an angry glare, "attitude." The man named Udina seemed to simply roll his own eyes as he looked at Shepard, doing examination of his own. Marcus barely knew the man, and he didn't like him already. He looked like one of those politicians with a hidden agenda that will eventually come back to bite you in the ass, and is one who uses people to get what he wants. The man seemed like a slimy asshole, but Marcus wasn't about to argue with humanity's chosen ambassador. Instead, he tried to change the subject back to current events.

"You said the Council is waiting for us? Then what are we waiting for? Joker to jump in with sprinklers and shout, 'I told you so?'" He stated, trying to put some humor into the conversation. Udina was obviously a humorless prick as well, as he simply rolled his eyes in response, "Yes, although your actions on Eden Prime seem to have put a bad image on humanity as a whole. We had high hopes for you commander, but with Nihlus dead you'll never make the Spectres, especially after letting the beacon get destroyed." He stated coldly, and Marcus felt so pissed.  _Did he make it sound like it was my fault that Nihlus is dead and is precious beacon exploded? What did he want me to do, mystically gain teleportation powers? Fucking politicians, why people waste their time with these slimy pieces of..._ his musing was interrupted by Anderson, who stepped to his defense.

"That wasn't Shepard's fault, that was Saren's!" Marcus nodded at Anderson and turned to Udina, who remained as stuck up as possible.  _First I dislike the guy, then I hate him, now I want to shoot him._ Udina shook his head in a disappointed manner before speaking, "Then let's hope the C-Sec investigation turns up any new information to support our accusations. Otherwise the Council might use this to keep you out of the Spectres," Udina said, looking directly at Marcus, "Come Anderson, we must go to the Council Chambers. Shepard, meet us there." Without even acknowledging Marcus, Udina spun on his heel and left, followed by Anderson who simply rolled his eyes again and nodded at Marcus as he followed Udina out, door closing behind them.

"Charming man." Kaidan muttered in a sarcastic man, his arms crossed.

"And that's why I hate politicians." Ashley stated firmly, seemingly agreeing with Kaidan's sarcastic statement and Marcus' irritated look, showing one of her own.

"Come on, we better do as Whiny wants or he'll probably threaten to have us beaten to death by a credit chit or something." Marcus said humorously, causing Kaidan to lightly chuckle and Ashley to form quite a large smile on her face as Marcus motioned them to follow him out of the embassy.

_June 16, 2183_

_1431 hours._

_Presidium, Council Chambers, Citadel Tower, The Citadel._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, Ambassador Donnel Udina, Captain David Edward Anderson._

The Council Chambers certainly didn't stob radiating the beauty of the Presidium, that was guaranteed. The elevator entrance was preserved perfectly, with a long corridor leading up to a circular area with a large fountain in the middle. The stairs then lead up into the main part of the chamber, a large grassy area with trees sitting in the middle, flanked by two large buildings serving as the Council's sleeping chambers. Members of multiple species including a few enigmatic keepers walked past, with a unusual salarian kneeling next to one scanning it with his omni-tool. If he had to pick the most unusual species in the galaxy, it was salarians.

Their entire species had been nicknamed 'the race of steven hawkings' and they were right to say so; salarians were naturally born with the ability to absorb knowledge as if it was air. They had two horns on the top of their head, while their body was that of an amphibian; their eyes closing upwards, not downwards like humans and many other species, and their body scaly, with three digits on hands and feet. They were experts at espionage, but their ability to wage brutal war is not well-known and salarian shock troopers, commandos and even soldiers are rarely seen, or heard of. Salarians also had an incredibly short lifespan, most only living to forty, the lucky ones reaching fifty. Salarian females also seemed to stay in salarian space, which explained why males were so common, and females so rare. It was also heard that salarians...like krogan...lay eggs instead of fertilization.

A final pair of the stairs were found at the end of the chamber, leading up to the 'Council Podium' where the three councilors, once having been four, as rumors had it the quarians once had a spot but were removed along with their embassy after the Morning War, would talk to the one's granted an audience with them, which was granted only to senior officials and high-ranking political or military personnel.  _Politics. Hmph._ Stepping past the fountain, Marcus moved up the stairs, unspokenly followed by Ashley and Kaidan. It wasn't long before they found two turians at the top of the stairs, facing each other, arguing.

"I need more time to gather my information! The Council needs it! Galactic lives are at risk, I'm telling you! Give me more time, stall them!" A turian with a blue glass on his right eye and blue C-Sec agent model armor said, yelling irritatedly at the turian in front of him, who had black and white facepaint, and C-Sec uniform, the word 'Executor' on his chest. The turian reciprocated the rage, not even flinching from the other turian's verbal assault.

"Stall the Council? Don't be ridiculous, your investigation is over Garrus." The executor simply waved off the turian named Garrus as he brushed past Marcus and sidestepped past Kaidan to head for the elevator, Garrus shooting him a glare and growling, cursing in a language he couldn't understand or that his translators didn't pick up. Moving up to Garrus, he spoke.

"There are problem going on?" He asked the turian, Garrus' look snapping towards him. He saw that the turian had blue facepaint of somekind, running along his mandibles. The turian simply chuckled half heartedly, "Problem? Yeah, that asshole named Palin decided to wave me off and put the fate of the galaxy in the hands of self-righteous politicians. So yes, we've got a problem." Marcus noticed out of the corner of his eye, Ashley shifting into a irritated stance. She obviously didn't like turians.  _Why?_ The turian then chuckled again.

"But what right does a nameless turian have to place such a burden on you? Detective Sergeant Garrus Vakarian, Citadel Security Services, I was the one put in charge in the investigation into your accusation against Saren." Marcus nodded, seeing that at least SOMEONE was about to take him seriously. Udina simply seemed to not give a crap, as if he'd stumbled in on a beach party he was throwing.

"Well Garrus, I find it unusual you'd want to bring Saren down. He's turian and a good spectre at that." Marcus stated, noticing Garrus' shift in stance to one of caution. Ashley spoke up, venom in her voice he never expected from her, "Yeah, he's a turian scumbag just like you, so why would you want to hunt him down, dino?" Then Marcus realized it, he didn't like Ashley's response, but he realized she hated turians. Dino was a nickname given to the turians during the First Contact War. But Ashley was far too young to have been there.

"Williams, stand down! He's only trying to help!" Kaidan got in first, seemingly shouting her down. Ashley's irritated demeanour didn't change, but she at least stood down, not another word of racism eminating from her mouth. Garrus didn't even acknowledge Ashley's racist comment; in fact, he didn't even acknowledge her, simply continuing to talk with Marcus.

"I've never liked Saren from the start. Something about him...rubs me the wrong way. He just...doesn't seem right. I've been looking for an excuse to investigate what I think may be his corruption, and now I had the chance and screwed it up. Everywhere I go there's enough red tape to sink a cruiser, damn C-Sec regs. But I'm not done yet, I've still got one lead to follow and I'm not letting them die. You should go...?"

"Shepard. Lieutenant Commander Shepard, Alliance Navy." Garrus widened his eyes and smiled a turian grin, "The Commander Shepard, well an honor to meet you. I shouldn't stall you from the meeting with the Council, besides, I have that lead to follow." Without a second glance, Garrus sprinted past them, heading straight for the elevator in a flash like he desperately needed to pee. Marcus simply shrugged it off and headed towards Anderson, who stood at the top of the stairs. Garrus' words echoed in his mind.  _I've still got one lead to follow and I'm not letting them die._ One lead? Them? He shook the thoughts from his head.  _If this meeting goes well we won't need whoever 'them' are._

"Come on, the meeting's already started. I thought you'd at least come in some nice clothes." Anderson quipped, heading up the stairs, followed by Marcus and his peers. He chuckled, "I thought I'd screw the diplomatic approach and stick to showing off my flashy weapons. Let them know who fights their wars." Anderson nodded his head in agreement, lightly chuckling as he did. It wasn't long before they'd reached the end of the audience's podium, with the three councilors standing before them; Councilor Sparatus, the turian councilor. Councilor Tevos, the asari councilor. Councilor Valern, the salarian councilor. Finally, one a large hologram pedestal stood the 40 feet tall hologram of Saren, his beady eyes looking down on Marcus with malice, but turned to pure venom at the sight of Anderson.  _Yeah, definitely have a past._

The meeting was already in full swing, the council not even acknowleding his presence as Tevos' voice rang out, "The geth attack is a matter of some concern. But there is nothing to to indicate Saren was involved in anyway." Sparatus' voice rose up after hers, his being less calm and tranquil, and more gruff and intimidating, "The investigation by Citadel security turned no evidence to support your charge of treason." Udina wasn't giving up though, even when under fire from three councilors who seemed sure of themselves; that bit of Udina is the only bit Marcus liked about him.

"An eyewitness saw him kill Nihlus in cold-blood!" Udina shouted, his voice full of anger.

"The account of a single traumatized dockworker is hardly compelling proof," Valern began, "Besides, the report said he had stolen Alliance munitions, how do we know he didn't kill Nihlus and blame it on Saren?"

Marcus cursed, but he knew Valern had a point. Even he hadn't seen Saren kill Nihlus, but he also didn't believe the dockworker was up to killing the turian, let alone a spectre. Saren's voice moved on, his voice sounding turian but also partially synthetic.

"I resent these accusations. Nihlus was a fellow spectre, and a friend." He said, his voice calm and arms crossed. It was Anderson who stood up and spoke, his voice accusing and full of hatred.

"That just let you catch him off guard!" He shouted, "Just like you did to me back on Camala!" Saren and Anderson seemed to have a death stare stand off, both looking infuriated to see each other, both looking like ripping at each other's throats. Finally, Saren broke the silence, his demeanour as calm and unwavering as ever, "Captain Anderson. You always seem to be involved when humanity makes false charges against me."

"And I guess I just decided I wanted to kill my girlfriend and hundreds of innocent workers, you lying scumbag!" Anderson shouted, his voice full of hate and loathing, but instead of continuing, he simply stormed out of the meeting, the Councilor's looks following him until he was gone, before returning to look at Marcus and Udina. Saren had a smug grin that shone of deceipt.  _Asshole thinks he's won._ Saren's look suddenly turned to Marcus, his gaze not full of the venom he showed Anderson, but still shining with the hatred he had for humanity.

"And this must be his protege, Commander Shepard. The one who let the beacon get destroyed." Marcus fumed, absolutely pissed off by this prick's snide comments.  _He's got traitor written all over him._ It was instead Ashley who retorted, "I'm sure the turian would have done the same, had the mission been his." Both Saren and Sparatus shot looks of irritation at the gunnery chief, both of them gaining a smug smile from the soldier in return. Saren rolled his eyes, "Racism based on ignorance. But what can you expect, from a human?"

Tevos and Valern entered pensive thought, while Sparatus nodded his head in agreement. It was obvious the councilor wasn't too fond of humans either. He finally stood up to speak, "Saren dispises humanity? What the hell do you think this is all about? He wants us wiped from the galactic map and that's why he attacked Eden Prime!" His voice echoed through the chambers, going on for quite awhile before stopping, the Councilors unflinching at his accusation, Saren even more so, looking as smug as ever.

"Your species needs to learn its place, Shepard. You're not ready to join the Council, you're not even ready to join the Spectres!" This time everyone was shocked, even the councilors. Tevos was obviously having none of it, as she spoke up immediately, "Shepard's admission into the spectre's is not the purpose of this meeting." He smiled at Tevos, finding that he had finally found a councilor he liked. She was just stating facts of course, didn't mean he didn't secretly thank her a million times for stepping in and shutting the spectre's smug mouth.

"This meeting has no purpose! The humans are wasting your time Councilor, and mine." The other councilors nodded, seemingly looking at Marcus in evaluation, Sparatus finally speaking up. "I agree, it is obvious no evidence can be given to prove Saren's guilt. As a result I think we should draw the final verdict and get this over with. I've got more imporant things to tend to, like my mate." Nodding, the other councilors drew their omni-tools and placed their verdict, none of them hesitating in their decisions.

Marcus scowled as Tevos spoke up, reading the verdict off her omni-tool, "Due to the tremendous verdict presented, we find no sufficient evidence to indicate Saren's treachery. Saren is exonerated." The omni-tools finally winked out of existence, the Councilors leaving in single file, not even waiting for them to say anything else. Saren let out a final remark before his hologram vanished.

"I'm glad to see justice was served."

Marcus simply left, his body radiating with irritation, Ashley and Kaidan following him without question. Udina simply stood there, looking defeated and destroyed, before finally following them, looking just as irritated as he did. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, they found Anderson leaning against a wall and looked at them as they approached.

"I'll guess it didn't go well." He asked dryly. Marcus rolled his eyes, "What can you expect from politicians? We've got nothing on him. Not a single lead."

Udina didn't offer any input whatsoever, simply looking defeated and depressed, almost like losing was a big loss to him.  _Probably a famous debater for all I know and has never lost or something like that._ Marcus didn't want to admit it, but he felt the same. On the battlefield he may have seemed invincible, but with politics? He was useless. Speaking to politicians to him was like trying to destroy a tank by punching it. Unless you were superman, the hulk or a very powerful biotic, it just couldn't be done. Then he remembered Garrus' words.  _I've still got one lead to follow and I'm not letting them die._

"Wait, what about Garrus?" He said without thinking, both Anderson and Udina snapping their looks towards him, both with fixed stares. "Who?" they both said simultaneously, as if working in conjuction.

"He's a C-Sec investigator, I, we, saw him arguing with the executor. He said something about 'I've still got one lead to follow and I'm not letting them die.' His exact words, I think he may have been on to something. If we can find him...help him maybe..." Udina's face lit up like Marcus had just told him Santa was real all this time and never new and Anderson grinned, a very large grin.

"Excellent! Where is he now?" Anderson started.

"That's a good question. He didn't tell us where he was going." Kaidan stated, Marcus and Ashley nodding at him in agreement, shrugging their shoulders as well for further emphasis.

"Then you have no choice but to speak to Harkin." Udina stated, but he didn't get to say anymore as Anderson shot him a look that looked as if Udina had just suggested that they hold hands with the geth and sing 'peace to the galaxy' in blissful ignorance. Anderson facepalmed in the old fashioned comical way.

"Oh hell no. Marcus, don't talk to that loser. Try Barla Von..."

"With all due respect captain, he has a better chance with Harkin..." Udina began.

"No he doesn't! The man's mouth is so full of liquor he probably doesn't remember his own name!" Anderson immediately noticed Marcus' confused stare and turned to address him, "Harkin was the first human to become a C-Sec officer. He was meant to be a 'rolemodel' and a man to 'set the stereotype' for humanity and hopefully encourage more trust in us, but the man has an obsession with alcohol. He's been caught bribing, blackmailing, selling drugs and even drinking on the job in Chora's Den or sometimes, on occasion, Flux."

"Guy sounds like a scumbag, why didn't you fire him?" Marcus asked, seemingly curious why the moron was being allowed to stay in the poisition he held. He was meant to be the upholder of justice, not the apologist of crime. Anderson sighed.

"Oh trust me, Palin was deeply considering it and almost did, but Udina managed to pull a few strings to keep him in. We needed him, as much as I hate to admit it, but we needed him to stay so a sufficient amount of human C-Sec officers come in for us to finally cut all ties with him and throw his sorry ass out onto the street. We're close, but not yet. He'll be out soon. As a C-Sec officer, he's your best source on where to find this Garrus, but he's probably too drunk to bother. Try Barla Von, he's a volus corporate executive working on..."

"I'll take my chances with Harkin. I'm not taking my chance with a volus." Marcus stated, showing his first sign of racism; volus. He hated every bit about them. They were apparently the masters when it came to money, being the ones who developed the galactic currency; credits. They had a military pact with the turians that allowed the turians to supply them with a surplus of warships, while they provided the hierarchy economical support. They wore envirosuits when they weren't on Irune, the volus homeworld, due to the mass amount of oxygen in the atmosphere; they can't breath it, which means to much oxygen would act like intense water pressure, popping them like a balloon. The volus reminded him of beachballs in their shape, having a very round appearence. They were a race of midgets, their height being up to a 6 foot 1 man's legs, while being fat by human standards. VERY fat. They, like most other species, had three digits on each hand and foot.

The volus were definitely a very sneaky race, and wouldn't hesitate in snatching away your money. There was the occassional few who could be trusted, but the rest were to be kept away in his opinion. Anderson nodded in a sigh and looked up, "Go to Chora's Den, its Harkin's favourite place to spend time in. He's been suspended from C-Sec for about a month, so he'll probably be getting wasted in Chora's Den. Good luck getting information out of him."

Nodding, he threw the captain a final salute and motioned for his squad to follow him to the nearest rapid transit terminal.

_Chora's Den it is._

**"So tell me, was the encounter with the Council that uneventful? Or do you love making them all sound like ignorant morons?"**

**\- Carter Dielheart.**

**"They're two kinds of idiocy in this galaxy. There's the unjustified kind, where amateurs and the typical fuckwit belong. Then there's the legitimate kind, who disguise their idiocy using laws, regulations and hide behind their agents. The Council belonged in both, they just didn't realize it."**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001**

**"So are you saying Shepard met Tali, through Garrus? Is that what your saying?"**

**\- Carter Dielheart.**

**"Yes and no. Let's just say that it was actually a woman who led the man to meet his, two years later to be, wife."**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001**

_**Author's Notes:** _

_**Damn you school! Why do you have to do this to me? Why! WHY! You blew it up! You blew it all up!** _

_**Okay, as mentioned above, school is back and I'd like I said, it might conflict with this. I will endeavour to write this chapters whenever possible, just don't expect daily updates. Weekly's are a definite, or maybe the week after if I'm doing a long part for my other fanfic, 'How it Could Have Happened: Mass Effect 3.' I doubt school will really conflict, as my teachers for english and humanities clearly stated homework won't be given to people who do work on time (don't do it on time? Me? Don't be ridiculous!) Not to mention that Drama and Metal Tech wouldn't...shit! I'm giving you my life story! This is a fanfic, not a biography! Back on track...** _

_**Yes, now with that out of the way, let's get to business.** _

_**Review this damn story! Spam the hell out of the reviews section! I need those reviews to motivate me to keep going. And I know there are some reading this who aren't reviewing, and you know who you are (and don't give me the 'I don't know who I am!' bullshit because only Jason Bourne is cool enough for that to be true). So yes, review! Nine reviews? For five chapters? Come on! The first two chapters of To Survive II *shivers* had over fifteen! You can do it! I don't care if you write, "Twilight ftw!" just review! Well, actually don't do that because I'd end up seriously hurting somebody. Not to mention calling in Garrus to 'archangelize' some twilight fans with his widow rifle. Hehehe. Tali and Shepard romance beats that shit BY A MILE.** _

_**Oh, and you are reading this 'person who's name I forgot' and you're the one who followed To Survive II two days ago, 'DON'T!' Seriously, logic dictates not to follow a story that's finished! Ah! Anyway, thanks for listening, if you did.** _

_**Also favourite, follow, and (because I'm a like whore) favourite and follow me as well!** _

_**For I will destroy you if you don't! MUWAHAHAHAHA.** _

_**I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favourite audience on the Citadel. (Don't worry Reaver, I mean you to, even if you do go out of your way to be pessimistic on every story I write, no matter the quality).** _

_**Now I do believe Mass Effect 3 needs some...Talibrations...** _

_**MUWHAHAHAHAHA** _


	7. Damsel In Distress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tali is hunted. Shepard hunts for proof of Saren's guilt. Their destinies intertwine.

**ENIGMA**

**CHAPTER FIVE:**

**DAMSEL IN DISTRESS**

_June 16, 2183_

_1500 hours._

_Lower Wards, Chora's Den, Shalta Wards, The Citadel._

_Mission Parameters: Question Harkin. He may have information pertaining to Garrus Vakarian's whereabouts. Lethal force is NOT authorized unless target is armed._

_Eden Prime War._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko._

Marcus began to regret using the Presidium as a stereotype for the Citadel. It hadn't been long since they'd departed the Citadel Tower and travelled into the depths of the Shalta Wards. They were now in a very low area of the wards, where most of the poor or criminally assiociated people lived. This particular section of the area had a clinic, a upper and lower market area, a beautiful view of the wards and the Destiny Ascension, the asari dreadnought and flagship of the Citadel fleet, Flux, which was a casino cross dance club and of course, Chora's Den, which had to be the most vile of the places.

C-Sec Academy was located lower into the wards, where most of the civilized people lived and where C-Sec was able to keep the wards in check. He had come across a very enthusiastic young human C-Sec officer by the name of Lang, and numerous other less friendly officers. His destination was Chora's Den; a dingy, gentleman's strip club run by notorious criminal Fist. It was said he ran a 'crime' gang, composed mostly of humans, turians and a few krogan. Fist himself sounded krogan, which explained his krogan assiociates. The fact that it was a strip club made sense due to what he was informed of Harkin's reputation, and he surmised it wouldn't be hard to find the man.

Their mission to Chora's Den was put on hold however, but Kaidan's curiosity.

"Wow, you know the Citadel is big, but when you see it like this, just wow...," The soldier stated as he let his gaze fall over the goliath construct the galaxy called their capital, "I thought Jump Zero was big, but this place simply dwarfes it. And the Destiny Ascension? That easily has the firepower to take on two of our fleets! Not to mention that thing's MAC could easily tear through a dreadnought's shields. I'll give it to the asari, they know how to make vessels for war."

Marcus gazed out at the pulsing purple sun of Widow, its purple color illuminating the Citadel in glorious light. It was simply a wonderous sight, and even Ashley seemed to be enjoying the view through the thick glass. He watched as numerous warships, ships that made up the Citadel's defense fleet, flew past, their hulls brisling with weaponry, while cars, trucks, transports and civilian merchant freighters glided past, heading to and from the Citadel's five, enormous, wards or 'arms.' Ashley nodded at Kaidan's statement.

"I'll give it to aliens in general, they know how to build stuff. And to think all they did was build upon what the Prothean's already created." Marcus nodded in agreement. It had been the asari who discovered the Citadel, and when they had it was just a barren construct with nothing but wide open space. Now the wards were dotted with numerous skyscrapers of numerous cultures and a proper interior.

"Its amazing, truly amazing. All my life I've never seen something so big, yet so tranquil." Marcus stated clearly, Ashley and Kaidan responding with light chuckles. Ashley spoke up first, "Its a pity humanity barely has a place here. We're all still newbies. And so low in the community caste. They treat us like second-class citizens; down there with the batarians, krogan and the suit-rats." Marcus didn't quite understand the last bit.  _Suit-rats? What the hell is a suit-rat? I'll have to ask about that later._

"Why? I mean look at the vids. We have a amazing homeworld, beautiful women and this emotion called love. According to them we have everything they want." He stated, Kaidan nodding while Ashley simply laughed half-heartedly.

"Yeah? Well don't expect me to strip down to a bikini and swimsuit out of the blue. You'd have to buy dinner for me first. With all due respect sir." Ashley added with a last bit of mocking undertone, something most superiors would scold, but he wasn't the typical commander. He chuckled at Ashley's statement, the trio simply enjoying the sights as time went lazily by. Checking his chrono, he almost cursed to himself as he realized just how far time had flown.

"Come on, we're behind as it is. We should get to Chora's Den and get this meeting over with." Marcus ordered, his tone full of irritation and exasperation. He really wasn't looking forward to doing this.

"Talking with the scum of the galaxy. This oughta be fun. Although I'd prefer to talk to posh british people than him." Ashley stated, following behind Marcus and Kaidan as they approached the exit into the back alleys of the wards. The place lived up to its word; filthy, disgusting and downright smelly. Even in outer space, it looked like utopia's were in short supply.  _Even aliens aren't perfect. More like humans than they care to admit._ The entire slum like area was illuminated in blood red light as they walked down the stairs towards Chora's Den, a keeper walking past to finish some mundane task.

Ashley made disgusted sounds while the trio then put on their helmets, switching off their olfactory filters to save themselves of the smell. It wasn't long before they were out on a less putrid catwalk area, the sign 'Chora's Den' in bold, pink letters up above with an asari in a less-dignant pose. He scoffed in repulsitivity, already disgusted by the place before he had even entered.

Without a word, they approached the front door of the bar and hit the button to open it. He heard the door slide open to invite him into the world of asari strippers, krogan bartenders and crime bosses. However, instead of hearing pounding exotic music and the sounds of flirting, he heard nothing. Nothing...but shouting.

The bar was simple; it was circular, with a circular bar area in the middle, with numerous chairs and seating arrangments, and was illuminated in a pink light. Numerous tables were sat around the room's circumfrance, places for men to sit down and have a good show with their assigned stripper or to drink themselves to death. The walls were grey or silver in color; he couldn't know since the pink light was masking the hidden color.

"You think yourself worthy to face me you pathetic pyjak? Your probably not even worthy of the clan you were born to!" He heard a strong, intimidating and gruff voice ring out from the otherside of the bar, and he motioned for his squad to follow him to the origin of the shouting. He found it, and the sight was intimidating in itself. He saw a single large krogan, wearing blood red armor and blood red eyes to match, a Solokov Shotgun on the back of his waist as he shouted down another krogan, a bouncer by the look of it, and he was surrounded by numerous turian, human and krogan thugs of all kinds.

The bouncer barely flinched, "Leave Wrex, Fist won't warn you again." Marcus frowned and realized he had to stop this before it got out of hand.

"What's going on here?" Marcus demanded as he joined the blood red krogan's side, Ashley and Kaidan unquestioningly joining his side, although mentally pondering Marcus' sanity level. The krogan named Wrex that he stood next to fixed his red eyes on him, his canine teeth clearly visible in his sneer. The bouncer shook his head, "None of your business, civvie, now leave before Fist decides to have us you throw you out."

"Civvie? I'm sorry for not introducing myself earlier," Marcus stated, clearing his throat, "I'm Lieutenant Commander Shepard of the SSV Normandy, Alliance Navy, and I DEMAND to know what is going on here before I'm forced to call C-Sec to arrest all of you." The bouncer immediately seemed to immediately back off slightly, while his hand fiddled on his hip for his pistol, the other thugs ready to draw their own weapons.

"Shit! We've been found out! Kill them! None of them leaves this -" The bouncer didn't even finish his sentence as his chest was ripped open by a shotgun slug, Wrex having fired the shot and now had his weapon bared on the dead bouncer, body crumbling to the ground. His voice bellowed, "Who's next!" Before they knew it; utter chaos.

The thugs all drew their weapons, but their hesitation is what cost them; not to mention that they were dealing with a krogan AND three well-trained alliance marines. Before drawing his diamond back, Marcus felt his body rapidly bolster in biotic energy before he leapt forward, his body becoming missile as he initiated a biotic charge into the first krogan he saw. The krogan was thrown like a high-velocity bullet into the wall, the audible sick sounds of bones cracking as Marcus immediately followed up with a combat roll into the nearest available cover. The krogan didn't even get up.

Gunfire rang out all over the place, with Wrex becoming an unstoppable juggernaut, his body pulsing in biotics as he tossed thugs aside like rag dolls and pumped shotgun rounds into their frail bodies, ripping them apart. Most of the thugs paniced and attempted to run away, but it was Kaidan and Ashley who stopped that; Ashley unleashing round after round from her assault rifle into her enemies while the thugs uselessly fired their weapons at Kaidan, the rounds bouncing off his versatile tech armor.

Marcus barely had to contribute, as the skirmish had ended as fast as it had begun. Holstering his diamond back, he saw slowly approached Wrex, who immediately spun around, his shotgun bared on Marcus' head. Marcus held up his hands in a gesture of peace almost immediately, attempting to reason with the krogan.

"We're not enemies, we are only looking for a way to take down Saren and we thought our friend would be here, "  _Great friend. Sure..._ "But then we stumbled into these idiots and thought...we might help you." Wrex seemed to roll these words around in his head, as if tasting them to check for their validity. After what felt like an eternity, the krogan finally lowered his Solokov.

"I'll trust you for now, human. You're taking down Saren you say?" Wrex asked, his posture one of mistrust.  _Can't say I don't blame him, but I just wish he'd stop looking like I'm going to pounce on him or something. If I wanted him dead, he would be._

"Yes. He's got a geth army under his command and is planning to invade Council space. The Council doesn't believe he's guility, but a man named Garrus seemed to think he was on to something." Marcus immediately noticed Wrex roll his eyes at the mention of Garrus, which aroused enough curiosity from him to ask, "You know Garrus?" Wrex simply nodded, and then checked the area around him, as if looking for anyone eavesdropping on him.

"Damn turian tried to stop me when I was interrogating a human for the location of Fist. Although he told me he was here, so I guess he's not too bad. Doesn't mean I like him though." Marcus raised a brow.  _He's after Fist? Wow, for a crime boss he must not be very popular._

"You're after Fist?" Marcus asked. Wrex simply nodded.

"I'm a mercenary. I follow contracts for the money. And my client just happens to want Fist's head delivered on a plater." Marcus held back an exasperated sigh.  _He's a merc, I should just shoot him now. Mercenaries aren't to be trusted. But I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, see where it gets us. But as soon as I so much as lose sight of him, he's dead._

"I could help you with that. If he's a criminal, he needs to be removed...or incarcerated. Either way, we get rid of him. But then I have to continue my search for Garrus." Marcus motioned for Wrex and Kaidan to follow, but was surprised when he noticed Ashley was missing. Kaidan looked like he was about to explain, but then the door leading to the other section of Chora's Den opened and her pink-armored form stepped through it, shaking her head.

"Fist's gone. He's not in his office, he's nowhere. I think he may have seen Santa Claus here storming his way and made a run for it." Wrex seemed to twist his features in rage at this revelation, and Marcus simply shook his head in annoyance. "Fine then, we'll continue our search for Garrus and hope he has information pertaining to Fist's whereabouts. Come on." He motioned for Ashley and Kaidan to follow, but didn't get to move any further as Wrex's hulking form appeared in front of him, Ashley and Kaidan raising their weapons at the huge beast.

"You look like your worthy of your uniform. Your biotics are also something commendable. Everything about you shouts authority. I would like to join you." Marcus was taken aback by this sudden turn of events, and Kaidan seemed to loosen the tight grip he had on his weapon, while Ashley didn't even budge, not as willing to let her guard down on the towering juggernaut.

"You want to join me? As in...you want to become part of my squad?" Marcus asked, not sure what it'd be like having a krogan on his team, especially since it was an alien. He was used to commanding men and women of his own people, not aliens. But how hard could it be?

"No, you stupid pyjak, I want join Fist because I don't care about money," Wrex stated sarcastically. Marcus chuckled, "Point taken. You do realize that in doing this, you willing accept my command?" He decided to leave out the fact that in the end, Anderson commanded the ship, so it was his decision whether he'd join the crew or not. So the krogan's posting would only be temporary.

"Yes, human, I accept your command. Now let's get moving, my plates are itching for more combat." Wrex stated bluntly, stepping out of Marcus' path and allowing him to continue out of the bar, followed by Kaidan, Wrex and Ashley who had her weapon firmly trained on Wrex's back, deciding not to take any chances with her commander's back turned to him.

It wasn't long before they made it back into the main wards area, but they weren't welcomed by the sight of civilians going to and from their daily business, but by a heavily armed C-Sec SWAT team, weapons bared on them. A single human, wearing heavy body armor, approached them, pistol dangling at his side.

"We told you to stop causing trouble around here Wrex. Now I'm afraid you'll have to come in with us." He immediately noticed the man's nametag on his chest.  _Sergeant Armando Owen Bailey._ He immediately stood forward to Wrex's defense, "What's the trouble officer?" Bailey's look immediately shifted to Marcus, his look demanding.

"Trouble is that I just got a report that Wrex stormed into Chora's Den and began shooting up the place. Its my job to deal with potential threats, and a heavily armed krogan can definitely be perceived as a potential threat." Bailey finished dryly. Marcus nodded but then motioned at Wrex with his hand, "Fist and his thugs had it coming. They deserved it. And as agent of the Council I'm going to ask that you let it go and allow us to continue with our mission." Bailey raised a brow at Marcus but then shifted his look to Wrex, seemingly pondering whether he should let the krogan go or not.

Finally, with a exasperated sigh, he turned to Marcus, "Very well, but I need an ID, and what's the terms of your mission?" He motioned for his team to lower their weapon, which they all did with a tinge of reluctance. Marcus nodded and opened his omni-tool, sending Bailey the required information. He then stood and waited as Bailey skimmed over the information, his eyes widening at some points. Finally content with the info given, Bailey deactivated his omni-tool and turned to Marcus.

"You're after Saren? Funny that, my friend Garrus was doing the same thing."

That got Marcus' attention. He immediately spun to face Bailey, "Garrus? Do you know where we can find him?" Bailey nodded and then pointed towards the clinic at the other side of the plaza, "Yeah, last I heard he was going to talk to Dr. Michel about these quarians. Apparently they have information pertaining to Saren or something." From behind him, Marcus swore he heard Ashley mutter 'suit-rats, wonderful' but he let it slip.

"Thanks Sergeant. I'm glad you didn't have to shoot us up." Marcus stated, shaking Bailey's hand as the other officers began to leave, single file. Bailey chuckled as he turned to follow, "Yeah, well if my job involved not doing these kinds of operations I'd be bored out of my brains by now." With that, Bailey was gone. Marcus immediately moved towards the clinic, his squad falling in line behind him.

 _Two quarians? This oughta be interesting._ Marcus thought, a smile tugging at his lips.

**{Loading...Rewind}**

_June 16, 2183 (Translated Khelish Time)_

_Fourteenth Hour, Twenty-Eight Minutes._

_Industrial Sector, Garbage Disposal, Shalta Wards, The Citadel._

_Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Marine Escort Keenah'Butras vas Rayya._

"Shit! Miss Zorah! Damn it, Snipe -" Keenah didn' get to finish as a second shot rang out, striking him in the arm just as Tali finished falling to the ground, a minor suit puncture appearing in her arm. Keenah was not so lucky. She watched as the round not only punctured his arm, but completely ripped it off, fountains of skarlet blood spraying all over in a bloodied pool, while leaving Keenah screaming in unbelievable pain.

"What the hell is -" The asari officer barely got out the sentence before a third and final shot zoomed past and impacted her skull, splitting it open as she fell forward onto the ground, dead. Civilians all over began screaming as they fled in panic, but in a directed pattern; they were headed right from them, which meant...

Tali managed to look to her left to see a turian and three salarians approach from behind, the turian wielding a naginata sniper rifle. Tali immediately paniced having no idea what she was going to do. Tears began streaming down her cheeks as she realized there was no hope.  _I'm a foolish little girl against four heavily armed mercenaries and my marine escort crippled. My pilgrimage is over. I'll never see the fleet again. Goodbye father, Auntie Raan, Meru..._

 _"Ancestors watch over you child..."_ Meru's words popped up in her felt renewed confidence as she turned around, omni-tool appearing on her arm as she shot a program called 'sabotage' towards the group. Usually it'd only work on a individual, manually tricking the weapon into thinking its mass accellerator has reached its peak and overheating it. However, Tali was a quarian, and she was able to modify the program to effect multiple. The program fired, a beam of orange impacting the lead turian and spreading to the others, leaving them all stunned. Now was her chance to escape.

Ignoring the blockage in her sinuses from the allergic reaction she was suffering, she forced herself up and hooked her strong arm over Keenah's shoulders, picking up the marine. He weighed alot more than her, but she was able to hold onto him without much effort needed and she speed walked as fast she could out of the commons and towards the elevator.  _We need to get out of here._ But just as they reached the elevator, she hesitated.

 _They could easily hack the elevator._ She frantically looked around and saw railing, nearby seeing it drop into a less prettier area of the Citadel.  _Garbage Disposal. They won't follow us in there._ "Suit-rat bitch!" Tali immediately snapped her look around to see the turian and his salarian comrades running behind them, and without hesitation, she leapt over the rail, Keenah in tow. She felt her body sail through the air until finally impacting on the ground with a loud thud. Pain shot up her spine, but after moving she knew it wasn't broken and turned her attention to Keenah, who, once again, didn't fair better.

He was cradling one of his legs; he had broken it. Cursing in khelish for her foolishness, she immediately dove towards and Keenah and helped him up again, hearing the turian shout more racist insults down towards them before disappearing, most likely to find another way to reach them or because he'd given up. Tali surveyed her surroundings as Keenah placed all his weight on her, trying just barely to stand up, the amount of bloodloss he'd sustained unbelievable, most of it soaking into her veil, leaving wet patches of red on her otherwise purple veil.

The room was dark, aside from the red glow of the incinerators vaporizing trash. This area was the most unsafe on the Citadel, and it'd been well known for lots of unlucky people to have been caught in the incinerators and killed; leaving no trace of their deaths as every bit of them, right down to their atoms, was erased from existence. You'd die and noone would ever know.

Gulping, Tali decided to take the maintenance corridor that lead around the incinerators, hopefully avoiding contact with them and losing the turian and his squad in the process. No such luck.

"There they are! Kill the filth, Saren wants their bucketheads on a platter!" Tali didn't even turn at the infuritated turian, instead increasing her pace. She watched as another incinerator activated, so close that the intense heat even infiltrated her suit's environmental systems, heating her up like she was in a volcano, red light illuminating her petite features. It was now that a plan formed in her head.  _What if I could lure them into an incinerator..._  Tali immediately realized how suicidal her thoughts were. If she so much as hesitated, Keenah and her life were over. Finished.

 _You want to prove yourself worthy to the fleet? Now's the time._ Tali, without thinking, headed straight through the incinerator, using her omni-tool to delay its activation by two minutes. She would act trapped, which would certainly lure the turian and his salarians in.  _A huge gamble. But its all I have to get rid of these bosh'tets._ Just before she could continue however, Keenah released her grip and fell onto the incinerator, causing Tali to stop and spin to face him. That was no accident, he had purposely done that.

"Keenah you bosh'tet, what are you doing!?" She snapped at the marine, his posture telling Tali to stay away. He shook his head.

"My job, ma'am. Go. Activate that incinerator when he's inside." He ordered her, Tali's eyes opening when she realized what he was doing.

"But you'll get caught in the blast Keenah!" She couldn't bare to think of what she'd do without Keenah. He was her only link to her people, and if he died; she'd have to face the racism of the galaxy by herself.  _Just like an adult has to..._

"I know that ma'am. But look at me! I've lost my arm and my leg is broken, I'm only going to slow you down! I'm as good as dead anyway, if I escape this I'll just die of infection anyway. Here..." He reached down into a suit pocket and threw her a packet of medi-gel and she caught it in her hands.

"Apply it. It should numb the infection until you can find a hospital. Just go, save yourself, warn the fleet! Go and activate the damn incinerator!" Tali looked at Keenah pleadingly, but knew full well the marine had made up his decision. If Kal was in Keenah's place, he'd do the same, no matter the choice.

"Clan Butras should be honored to have such a man in their number. May your body find peace in the stars, Keenah'Butras vas Rayya." Tali quoted, holding a small, three-fingered hand to the area just above her breasts, closing her eyes in a traditional bow, "Keelah Se'lai." Keenah reciprocated her words before the turian's voice could be heard again.

"Now go! Do it! Save yourself! For the fleet!" Keenah rushed her, and Tali didn't even hesitate as she started running, resetting the incinerator's activation time to twenty seconds. She ran as fast as her legs would allow, her arm screaming in protest as she applied medi-gel to it mid-run, not even daring to stop in fear of being attacked again. Finally, seeing light, she stopped and saw the turian stopping and placing a pistol to aim at Keenah's mask, a smile on his features.

Tali's face creased in anger as she saw the incinerator's countdown.  _2...1...Activate._ She hit the button to activate and watched as Keenah, the turian and his mercenary assets disappeared in a hellish red light. The red was gone as quickly as it came, leaving no trace of her quarian companion or her pursuers. Tali felt a tear fall down her cheek as she climbed a nearby ladder and exited the garbage disposal area, entering the corridor just outside Flux. Turning to make sure noone saw her, she slipped out and ran through the door.

Seeing a nearby asari, she ran towards her, "Please! You have to help me! Do you know where I can find -" The asari simply shoved her off with a disgusted look, shouting, "Revolting suit-rat! How dare you touch me! Filthy garbage!" Tali didn't even bother with anyone else as she ran through the plaza, beginning to panic. It was then that she spotted the words 'clinic' above a shop nearby.  _Clinic means meds. And meds means..._

Without hesitation, Tali immediately ran towards the clinic, hoping the manager wasn't racist. She didn't even wait for the door to open, simply hacking it with her omni-tool and bursting inside to see a young, red haired woman standing next to a line of beds. The woman turned towards her, with a smile.

"Hello! I'm Doctor Chloe Michel, how can I -" Michel's eyes widened in shock as Tali collapsed onto her, her arms wrapping around the quarian to stop her from falling any further, "Are you alright?" the doctor shouted, lifting Tali onto a nearby bed. Tali shook her head as she looked at the doctor, shaking all over.

"I...I...me and my companion were just minding our own business when...we...we were shot. They tried to kill us. I killed them. I had too. They would have killed me. My friend didn't make it, he stayed behind to save me. Please...I need...help." Michel nodded, leaving Tali to remuge through her things, finally returning with a syringe. "This is going to hurt a little, okay? Don't worry, its sterile and dextro-amino." Tali nodded frantically, wanting anything to remove the drowsiness she felt. A jolt of pain went up her arm, followed by instant relief.

"Thank you, thank you so much. Your the first one on this stupid station to actually have been polite to me." Tali tested her arm, feeling that it still hurt but was able to force herself to sit up on the edge of the bed. Michel simply smiled warmly at her, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Its okay. Most people are just ignorant racists, but I honestly don't understand what its all about. A few quarians steal stuff and the next thing you know, people think your all thieves! Just ignore them. Besides, you seem sweet. Poor thing, you must be traumatized. What happened? Did you see who shot you?"

Tali simply looked into Michel's eyes, seeing a tinge of trust in them. She could trust this woman, her gut, her logic, her emotions were screaming it to her. Tali sighed and began to speak, "I don't know. I think it might have been one of Saren's agents trying to keep us quiet." Michel's raised her eyebrows at Tali's accusation.

"Saren? As in Saren Arterius, the turian Spectre? Why would he want you dead?" Tali widened her eyes at Michel, completely oblivious to the fact that Saren was a spectre.  _Must have turned a traitor._ Her people were very familiar with spectres, as her people had once had some before their exile, but all had died in defense of Rannoch in the Morning War.

"Saren's betrayed the Council. He has someone acquired a geth army under his command and is planning to invade Council space. We tried to warn Illium! We tried to warn C-Sec! None of the bosh'tets would listen! Now I just don't care. I just...want to trade this information for...somewhere...to hide." Tali finished, feeling ashamed of what she just said.  _Oh really Tali? You want to be a coward now? Are you a Koris now? What would father think of this? Afterall, who wants a cowardly girl as a daughter? He'd be the laughing stock of the fleet!_ But in the end, when it came to it, Tali realized something: she didn't care.

All her father had ever done for her was the pilgrimage training and having Keenah assigned to her; that's all. He'd never shown her what she wanted most from him; love for his daughter. He'd never treated her right ever since Meru died, and it had only gradually gotten worse. Now, for all she cared, his reputation could just fall into the deep end and blow up for all she cared. She wanted this nightmare to end.

Michel simply nodded, "Well, there is someone working for the Shadow Broker here on the Citadel. He isn't nice, but I'm sure he'd be willing to take your info, not to mention he'd find you somewhere safe to hide." Tali immediately snapped her look back to Michel, shocked by her words.  _Does he now?_

"Who is this person? I need to know now before they find me again!" Michel nodded frantically to get Tali to calm down before speaking, "His name is Fist. He's an agent for the Shadow Broker. He's holed up in Chora's Den. He can find you some place -" She felt herself immediately cut off as Tali darted for the door, only stopping to thank her as she rushed out the door.

_Poor thing must really be terrified._

With that, Michel simply returned to work, hoping the young girl would be okay.

**{Loading...Fast Forward}**

_June 16, 2183_

_1514 hours._

_Hellion Plaza, Dr. Michel's Clinic, Shalta Wards, The Citadel._

_Mission Parameters: Garrus is talking to Doctor Chloe Michel to find the evidence, discovered to be in the hands of two quarians, names unknown. Find out what Garrus knows and assist in efforts to bring the evidence to judicial authority._

_Eden Prime War._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, Battlemaster Urdnot Wrex._

"Okay, this looks like the..." Marcus began to say as he opened the door. The sight before him was completely unexpected. There was three thugs, Fist's by the looks of it, in the room, their leader holding what he assumed was Dr. Michel in a headlock, holding a judgement that he was holding at her head. He also noticed the form of Garrus hiding nearby, his pistol at the ready. Garrus turned towards him and motioned for him to distract the thug.

Marcus nodded and motioned for Ashley, Kaidan and Wrex to follow him inside, door closing behind them. That got the thug's attention, as instead of shouting threats at the helpless doctor, he immediately turned to assess the new threat, pistol raised. "Who the hell are you?" the thug shouted in a threatening tone, his finger squeezing on the trigger. Before a shot could even go off however, Garrus leapt from his hiding spot, and with a single well placed shot, hit the thug clean through the side of the head, causing his grip on Michel to lessen enough for her to wriggle out and take cover.

The last two thugs attempted to retaliate by raising their pistols, but they never even got to fire. Glowing in pulsing blue biotics, he raised his hand and picked up one of the beds behind the thugs and then pulled his hand backwards fast, causing the bed to impact the thugs and sent them sprawling. Taking the stunned thugs by surprise, Garrus quickly picked them off.

Holstering his pistol, the turian moved to help Michel up as Wrex moved to guard the door against anymore unwanted company, leaving Ashley, Kaidan and Marcus to talk to Garrus and the doctor. With the doctor up off the ground, Garrus turned to Marcus and nodded, "Thanks Shepard, your distraction allowed me to get a shot at that bastard."

"Nice shot by the way, but we heard you were hunting down two witnesses and thought you could use some help." Marcus stated, crossing his arms as Ashley sighed in frustration, deciding to help Wrex guard the door while Kaidan stood still, watching the exchange. Garrus nodded, "I see. Yes, two quarians. I saw that they were hurt and knew they'd try and reach the nearest medical facility, so I went to Doctor Michel. But when I got here..."

"Fist's thugs beat you to it. At least we got rid of them." Marcus stated, glancing at the dead bodies of the thugs, before looking back Michel with a warm smile, "Ma'am, I know your scared right now, but I need you to tell me everything you know. Why were these men trying to kill you?" He asked as softly as possible, trying not to sound authoritive towards the woman. She had just survived what could have ended in a bloodbath.

Michel nodded before answering, "Fist. He sent them to shut me up. To stop me from talking about the quarian." Marcus frowned at that.  _THE quarian? I thought there was two?_ "I don't understand, Bailey told me there was two." He stated, and Garrus nodded, seemingly believing the same thing.

"Yes, she said she was accompanied by another quarian, but she was attacked and his injuries forced him to stay behind and sacrifice himself to save her. Then she came here." Garrus and Marcus started at that, curiosity peaked. Michel continued, "She'd been shot. She told me that Saren Arterius had sent mercenaries to do it. They were dead and she immediately came here. I fixed her up and then she started asking who would be willing to take the information in exchange for a place to hide. I could tell she was scared, the poor thing, and she was definitely very young. I told her to go to Chora's Den to meet Fist, he's an agent for the Shadow Broker."

"Who the hell is the Shadow Broker?" Kaidan asked, gaining looks from Garrus, Marcus and Michel. Marcus laughed, "You serious? He's only the most infamous information broker in the galaxy! He, or she, or they, are probably the richest in the galaxy. Noone know who he, she, or they are, what species, their location. Nothing. They know your every secret, and has alot of agents. A private army from what I heard."

"Yeah, and Fist doesn't work for him anymore. Saren offered him something and now he betrayed the Shadow Broker to work for him. From what I heard, Saren ordered him to find and kill the quarian after this turian named 'Jacobus' failed. If the quarian is going to Fist, then the good doctor just sent her to her death." Garrus stated clearly, revealing Fist's true intent. Marcus cursed under his breath and didn't even notice Michel's shocked expression.

"I...what? He betrayed the Shadow Broker? That's stupid, even for him! You have to save that poor girl! She must still be at Chora's Den!" Garrus nodded but stopped upon Marcus' expression, "We were just there. We killed all his thugs but Fist wasn't there, neither was the quarian. Shit, he must have killed her and hidden the body, or he's taken her somewhere else out of fear of discovery and killed her there."

In the background, they heard groaning. Turning, they saw one of the thugs desperately trying to push the bed Marcus had so happily given to him off of him. Garrus drew his pistol, but Marcus immediately put his hand out for the turian to lower the weapon, seeing an oppurtunity to find out some more information. Approaching the trapped thug, he crouched next to him.

"Where's Fist taking the quarian?" He demanded, his voice full of malice and venom. The thug simply chuckled, "Fuck you" he spat, not even looking Marcus in the face.

"Oh come on, is your loyalty to some crime boss really worth your life?" Marcus said, pulling out his raikou pistol and pretending to examine it. The thug's eyes widened as he eyed the pistol, "You wouldn't dare..." the thug muttered, loud enough for the N7 to hear. Marcus simply smiled, "Eleven hundred creds says I will." The thug seemed to gulp two times, the smell of urine entering Marcus' olfactory filters.  _He's wet himself. Wonderful._

"Okay! Okay! He's taken the quarian to the Baria Frontiers office! He plans to kill the quarian there! Our car is outside, take it! Take it!" The thug pleaded, throwing the VAK (vehicular activation key) at him, catching it in his hand as the thug passed out from his fear. Marcus shook his head as he stood up, throwing the VAK into Kaidan's hands as he reapproached the group.

"We'll let C-Sec deal with him. Its time to save a quarian. Garrus, do you know where Baria Frontiers is?" Marcus asked the turian, waiting for the turian's undoubtable knowledge of every bit of the Citadel. He did help maintain its security after all.

Garrus nodded, "Certainly do. But I shall only give that information if I'm allowed to join you. I want to help take down Saren." Marcus raised his eyebrows. Not at the fact that he now had a turian to add to his squad, but that a turian would want to take down Saren, "Why?" Is all he could ask, waiting for the officer's answer.

"Its simple. Saren is a traitor to the Council and a disgrace to my people!" Garrus exclaimed with pure fury, his tone making it evident he wanted Saren dead. Marcus nodded, "Then welcome to the squad Garrus. Although I'm not sure how a turian and a krogan are going to cope together." Garrus frowned at that, "A krogan...?"

Upon noticing Wrex however, Garrus opened his mouth in realization, "Ah...I see. Hello Wrex." A simple grunt was Wrex's only answer, before Garrus rolled his eyes and began to walk outside, followed by Marcus and Kaidan, and finally Wrex and Ashley. Once outside, they noticed the thug's aircar almost immediately, and once the VAK was recognized, they opened the door and sat inside, Marcus taking the driver's seat.

"Now we save, yet again, another Damsel in distress. First Ashley, now some quarian girl? You planning on saving all the women Commander?" Kaidan asked, humor evident in his voice. Marcus chuckled as he started up the car's engines and sped off, heading straight for Baria. "If only, if only." He whispered to himself.

**{Loading...Rewind}**

_June 16, 2183 (Translated Khelish Time)_

_Fourteenth Hour, Thirty-One Minutes._

_Fist's Quarters, Chora's Den, Shalta Wards, The Citadel._

_Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya._

Tali ran like she had never before. Her arm no longer screaming in protest, Tali just kept on running towards the strip club, knowing her salvation could be just behind those doors. Finally, she arrived outside the club and opened the door. She was met by pounding music, while asari strippers did shows for numerous men and women, while bartenders served drinks all over, bouncers moving to and from like guards, all armed with pistols, assault rifles and shotguns. Tali simply moved through the room, observing the numerous strippers.

 _My people hold dancers in high regard, and I will admit, our women are found to be quite exotic. But this? This is...keelah, how many of these asari are sex slaves? Taken against their will and forced out of their dignity?_ Tali shook the thoughts from her head as she continued towards what she thought might be Fist's office. It wasn't long before an asari stopped her and stood right in front of her, licking her lips.

"You look like someone with tastes. Why don't you sit down with me?" The asari asked the quarian. Tali was simply disgusted and attempted to push past the asari, but felt herself pushed into a chair, and the asari immediately followed up by sitting in the quarian's lap. The asari immediately followed up by kissing the quarian's neck, and despite Tali's attempts to push the asari off, she didn't budge.

Finally, the asari whispered in her ear, "I could find us a clean room..." The asari had attempted to sound seductive. But to Tali...oh, she wasn't having any of it.  _A clean room? Does she think I'm stupid?_ With that, Tali shoved the asari off, causing her to fall onto the ground, sickened by the asari's advances. "I said NO!" The quarian put extra emphasis in her voice, which scared the asari, who decided to save her seduction for some other unfortunate soul.

Tali immediately continued her advance on Fist's quarters, only to find her passage blocked by a bouncer, a krogan bouncer. "What do you want quarian?" The bouncer asked, his voice gruff and demanding, a shotgun on his waist. Tali gulped and decided to choose her next words carefully, conscious of the fact that she was only armed with the knife on her boot, given to her by her mother.

"I'm here to see Fist. I have information he may be interested in acquiring, but I have terms." Tali stated as confidentally as possible, trying not to sound like a naive child. It seemed to have worked, but then the bouncer shook his head, "Fist takes no terms. Leave now or..." Another voice spoke over him, not as demanding and definitely younger, more human.

"Although I might make an exception for such a girl as the one standing before me." Tali looked behind the krogan and the krogan followed her look to a human approaching from Fist's quarters. He had something resembling a 'mohawk' for hair, while he had blue eyes, a black vest and jeans, with runners.  _That must be Fist. Not exactly what I expected._

"Are you Fist?" she asked the approaching human, who stopped next to his krogan bodyguard. The human nodded, confirming her thoughts, motioning for his bodyguard to leave. "I am Fist. And what is your name?" Tali seemed positive that this man was alot less nicer than he was letting in on, but she didn't push for details.

"Tali. Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, and I need your help." Fist pondered Tali's words, as if carefully tasting them for any signs of deception. Seeming finally convinced, he motioned for Tali to follow him outside, which she happily did.

"So, what do you have for the Shadow Broker?" Tali was about to ask how he knew but he simply smiled, not elaborating.  _Secrecy hmmm? I guess I can live with that as long as it gets me somewhere to hide._ "Evidence that points towards Saren Arterius being a traitor and planning an invasion of Council space with a geth armada. Although I might be willing to trade it for a safe place to hide."

Fist pondered her words, Tali feeling as if he was getting closer to her. Suspicions confirmed, Fist rested his arm around her shoulder, trying to comfort her, "Don't worry. I'll make sure the Shadow Broker knows right away." The doors opened outside and Tali swore she could feel his arms moving down her body, as if feeling her out.  _Pervert._ Fist's gestures had finally reached boiling point when he pinched her butt, causing her to squeal as she leapt away from the human, now keeping her distance. Fist made an apologetic gesture before Tali realized something.  _He's representing the Shadow Broker? Oh I don't think so..._

"I want to see the Broker. In person, not just through you. I will hand the evidence directly to him." Fist's eyes widened in surprise at that, his arms crossing as he pondered the quarian's words. Finally, he spoke up again, "Very well. I'll arrange a meeting at Baria Frontiers. Come on, I'll take you there now." Tali nodded as she let Fist lead the way towards his car. Fist keyed his comm and made sure the quarian couldn't here before the turian spoke into his comm.

"Yes, Fist? Do you have her?" the turian asked, his voice demanding.

"Yes. I'm taking her to Baria Frontiers. However, I want to have some fun with her before you kill her, if you know what I mean." Fist said, a sneer reaching his features and the thought.

"Yeah, you can fuck the suit-rat as much as you want, Saren doesn't care. As long as she ends up dead, that's all that matters. No tricks Fist, we're watching you. If you so much as warn the Shadow Broker, we'll kill you." The turian then disconnected the comm.

"Oh he won't know a thing." He opened the car door and let Tali in, closing the door behind her. Entering the pilot seat, he took off for the Baria Frontiers building, thinking of all the different ways he could have his own personal fun with the girl.

**"Damsel in distress was right. But was Fist really planning on...well...doing that with her? That's sounds a little too over the top, even for him."**

**\- Carter Dielheart.**

**"Of course he was, the man thought with his dick more than he did his brain, if there was one to speak of. Point is that Mr. Damsel Saver arrived just in time to blow the motherfucker's head off. It was glorious. We were basically the modern version of the avengers...just without superpowers and two times more badass."**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001.**

_**Author's Notes:** _

_**Okay guys, I apologize for my comment on 'Talibrations'. That was meant to be a joke, but I will have you know this. 'Tali is not to be treated like that at all and if is Team Dextro will be unleashed upon the perpetrator.'** _

_**Let's get to business. What do you want more emphasis on in this story?** _

_**1\. Tali and Shepard Romance Development (which is by far going to be a bitch to do, as I suck at that stuff)** _

_**2\. Humurous Crew Bondings (Talking between the crew like teasing, jokes, recounts, nostalgia and heroic speeches)** _

_**3\. Combat Scenes (Well, let's face it, the Eden Prime Combat sections was as good as I could do, but I'm sure I could do better. Hehehehe...he?** _

_**4\. Storyline (Would you like me to make sections for Benezia? Saren? Sovereign? Maybe even the councilors? You decide)** _

_**Remember to comment in the review section on which you'd like more focus on. Enigma is multiroled, which means its a action/romance/comedy. Anyway, enjoy.** _

_**I will be releasing a fanfiction short based after To Survive II called 'Rael's pilgrimage' and I hope to be able to finish it soon (as its meant to be a short, and not a full fledged series)** _


	8. Above the Law and Beyond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tali finds herself rescued by unlikely allies. Evidence is delivered. Garrus leaves C-Sec.

**ENIGMA**

**CHAPTER SIX:**

**ABOVE THE LAW AND BEYOND**

_June 16, 2183_

_1539 hours._

_Financial District, Shalta SkyWay, Shalta Wards, The Citadel._

_Mission Parameters: Save Quarian Informant from Criminal known as Fist. Deal with enemy as you see fit. Quarian has high value information vital to uncovering Saren's plot._

_Eden Prime War._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, Battlemaster Urdnot Wrex, Detective Sergeant Garrus Vakarian._

"Baria Frontiers is just down here, it shouldn't be too hard to spot, especially since it has this huge ass sign." Garrus announced clearly as Marcus continued to fly the car down the skyway and through the financial district. As he was afraid of the fallout that would most definitely occur with a krogan and turian in such close proximity, he made sure Wrex sat in the back of the car while Garrus sat next to him. Ashley and Kaidan were forced to sit in the back with the big krogan.

Nodding at Garrus' notification, he increased the speed of the aircar so he could overtake any that got in his way. The car zoomed past the numerous trucks and aerial vehicles that also sped past, flying like hordes of bees in formation. Thanks to his training as a N7, he had pretty good piloting skills, easily flying past the numerous cars that flew past and overtaking them.

"These two fleshies are getting annoying." Wrex complained, obviously not content with where he was sitting. As far was Marcus was concerned, he could deal with it. The ride would be decently short at the rate they were going, and he'd be able to nail Fist to a wallpost. Until then he had to suck it up and deal with it. Garrus barely made a sound; simply deciding to gaze out the cockpit of the car at the city below, not even making eye contact with him.

"Hey commander, I think I see it." Ashley said, pointing to a square shaped building down below with the bold pink letters of 'BARIA FRONTIERS COMMISSION' ontop. Nodding, Marcus brought them down. As he began his descent however, he saw the glass infront of him shatter as a bullet impacted it. Instead of continuing descent, Marcus broke off, thinking that a sniper could have lock on them. Pulling out of his dive, he commenced a U-turn, and spun around, speeding back into the skyway.

"Commander, you're not going to like this, but we've got four aircars on our ass and they've got angry looking thugs in them." Garrus announced, causing Marcus to roll his eyes. "Its thugs versus an N7, a sentinel, alliance marine, a krogan and a turian C-Sec officer. Let's show these people it ain't just fucking titles." With that, Marcus motioned for Garrus to take the driver's seat as he kicked the door open and slipped his hand onto the side. He immediately felt the wind brush against his face as he leaned out and pointed his pistol at the nearest car; and fired.

It only took a few shots; but he finally managed to hit the driver of the lead car and sent it spiralling into the streets below, mentally hoping noone would get hurt.  _I keep doing that and people WILL get hurt. Plan B._ With a new plan formed in his head, he slipped back inside, retaking the driver's seat, hitting the door panel to close it. Without a moment of hesitation, he descended back towards Baria Frontiers.

"Commander, what the hell are you doing!?" Ashley screamed, noticing he was heading straight for the Baria sign. Marcus simply smiled as Wrex shouted something along the lines of 'only a krogan would do this' and Kaidan and Garrus just held onto the edges of their seats, hoping Marcus was as good a driver as they heard. Without anymore thought, Marcus pulled the car into a fully fledged spin, shooting through the top part of the 'A' on Baria. He smiled a huge smile when Garrus whooed loudly at the sight of one of the shuttles smashing into the sign, causing the A to collapse, while sending a second shuttle spinning onto the roof. Only the fourth and final car remained, heading straight for them.

Marcus immediately saw that the car was moving to ram them from the left. So in retaliation, he simply smashed the window and sent out a biotic shockwave that impacted the car, causing the windows to explode as the occupants were impaled with glass, before sending it crashing into the buildings below. His head already starting to hurt from the amount of biotics he had been using over the course of the day, Marcus cradled his aching head as he changed course and headed straight for Baria Frontiers, hoping dearly that the quarian was still alive.

"Shit commander, you're a better driver than even the Alliance stated." Ashley said, seemingly letting out the air she had been holding in. Garrus had a huge grin on his face, while Kaidan remained stoic, but it was obvious he was holding back a grin. Wrex simply stared ahead, his features not showing any humor. Marcus shook his head, laughing.

"You should see me drive a Mako. You haven't seen me drive until I've driven one of those horrible pieces of tin. Thing handles like a drunken rhino." Ashley just laughed out loudly as did Kaidan, Garrus just lightly laughing.

"You're an charismatic bunch, you know that? I think I can get used to working like this. C-Sec lacks the same enthusiasm." Garrus quipped, preparing his sniper rifle as they began to lower into the alleyways of the commission building. Marcus nodded as he one-handedly prepped Jenkins'...his...punisher sniper rifle, the rest of the team also prepping their own weapons while Wrex simply glowed blue with biotics, his Solokov already sitting in his lap.

"Okay people, lets keep this clean and simple. I don't care how you deal with Fist and his thugs, as long as they're removed as a potential threat. I strongly suggest taking them prisoner, letting C-Sec deal with them -" Marcus didn't get to finish his orders as Garrus interrupted him, "Don't. C-Sec have been letting that bastard go for months. You arrest him and he's out the next day. Kill him, end his criminal ass once and for all. And I'll make sure I'm the one to do it." Garrus said, examining his rifle with renewed vigor.

"Get in line turian, Fist is mine." Wrex declared, Garrus turning to meet the krogan's gaze, both full of loathing and hatred for each other.

"We can decide who kills who when the time comes! Get your act together and prepare to attack on my signal. I'm landing the car here." Marcus ordered before Garrus and Wrex decided to rip at each other's throats, not having the time or patience to break up a fight between two thousand year old mortal enemies.

"Commander! Its the quarian!" Kaidan shouted, motioning ahead of them. Marcus followed his finger and found its destination; a large group of thugs, a turian and others being salarians in white armor, with a single human with a mohawk stepping next to the petite, feminine form of a envirosuited alien. The quarian. What was off however was how the human was interacting with the quarian; he was sliding his hand down her left arm, pervertedly.  _And I thought the Tenth Street Reds were bad._

Almost immediately however, he noticed the quarian slap the human's hand away, her pose strengthening to one of defiance. The quarian's audio indicator flashed white at every word she spoke. Then it all happened in a instant; two salarians approached the quarian from behind, but she noticed this and threw an explosive device towards them, the resulting explosion killing the salarians and allowing the quarian to take cover as she reached into her boot and unstrapped her knife.

The human steadily approached, pistol out. That quarian didn't have kinetic barriers; she wouldn't stand a chance and he certainly didn't have enough time to get out and take the man's head off. He had only one choice.

"Buckle in. This is going to hurt." Everyone fixed Marcus with a questioning look, but immediately did as told and activated their seatbelts, prepared for whatever the N7 was about to do. Smiling, Marcus immediately hit the acellerator and the car lunged forward, heading straight for the human.

"Commander you're not going to -" Ashley started to ask, but was cut off by Garrus.

"I think he is!" He shouted over Ashley, holding onto the edge of his seat. Wrex simply had a very large grin on his face, the sight of the frightened fleshies around him being priceless, not to mention how krogan Marcus must seem to him. Before the human could even turn to look at the noise, the car slammed into him sending him spiralling over the roof and onto the ground behind them. With too much momentum, the car was unable to stop and slammed into the wall infront of them.  _The galaxy is so advanced and they didn't even bother to come up with a replacement for airbags._

Ignoring the pain in his chest, Marcus unbuckled his seatbelt and kicked the door open, quickly bringing his punisher to bare on the turian. Squeezing the trigger, he watched as the round pierced the turian's skull, living him a bloodied corpse on the ground. It wasn't long before Ashley joined the fight, her avenger cutting into two nearby salarians who simply fell where they stood, green blood spewing all over the place.

Garrus appeared to be an excellent sniper, as he appeared to be taking out the thugs without even hesitating, the salarians falling one by one to his well-placed sniper shots. Before Kaidan and Wrex even got a shot out, the fight was over, the dead remains of Fist's thugs lying all over the place. Smiling, he collapsed his punisher and fed it onto his back, feeling the magnetic clamp clatch onto it.

"Job well done. Now let's -" He was immediately cut off by the sounds of a quarian, her voice modifed by the suit to sound more synthetic, began yelling. A scream of pain followed.

"That was for betraying me, you perverted bosh'tet!" the quarian shouted as loud as she could. As Marcus walked around the corner, he saw the quarian's knife inbedded in Fist's kneecap, to which the quarian forcefully yanked it back out, sticking it back into her boot. He continued to approach as the quarian turned to face him.

Then it was as if time froze.

**{Loading...Rewind}**

_June 16, 2183 (Translated Khelish Time)_

_Fifteenth Hour, Forty-Two Minutes._

_Alleyway outside Baria Frontiers Commission, Finanicial District, Shalta Wards, The Citadel._

_Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Criminal Boss Sig "Fist" Tarleuz_

The alleyway was utterly silent except for the sound of her footsteps and Fist. He had told her that the Shadow Broker had been informed of her demands and was planning to meet her here.  _Its an odd place to meet, but as long as it gets me some place to hide, I'll be fine with it._ She reached into her pocket and pulled out the OSD holding the information, fiddling with it in her hands.

Sighing, she fit it back into her pocket as she continued to follow Fist down the alleyway. Rounding a corner, she came face to face with a large group of white armored salarians and a single turian with a face mask. The turian appeared to glare at her as she walked past him, moving to stand inside the ring of salarians, Fist moving next to her, pistol on his hip. The turian stood behind Fist, his arms crossed, glaring directly at her.

"So, this is where we'll meet him?" Tali asked the man, wondering why a group of salarians was needed for a meeting.  _Bodyguards? Afterall, the Shadow Broker is a very infamous being._ Upon Fist's nod, she began twindling her thumbs and looking around, anxiously waiting the being's arrival. A few minutes later. Tali's head immediately snapped up, as if to find the source of the explosions, and Fist and his turian companion appeared to do the same thing.

"What in sam hell was that?" Fist shouted, still looking above. It was then that a giant, glowing 'A' sign came crashing above, sparks flying in all directions, a crashed car ontop of it.  _Keelah, is it a warzone up there? Or have Saren's thugs come after me?_ She reached behind her back to grab her shotgun, only to remember that C-Sec had confiscated it, and that her knife wouldn't be much use against assassins. Then the explosions stopped completely. Sighing with relief, she turned back to Fist, who greeted her with a simple smile as she asked her new question.

"Fist, where is the Shadow Broker? He should be here by now." Fist's features turned from warm kindness to one of frustrated annoyance.  _I knew he was a lot less kind then he let in on._ Instead of lashing out at her though, he simply replaced his frustration with a smile, moving slowly towards her. "He'll be here soon. Don't worry. So, give me the OSD." Fist smiled pervertedly as he began stroking her arm. Tali resisted the temptation to punch him in the face, but came to a sudden epiphany.  _No Shadow Broker, no info Fist. That was the deal._

She finally lashed out, slapping his hand off her arm, her features creased in anger, even though he couldn't see it. "No way. The deal is off. I'm leaving Fist." Fist immediately attempted to grab her, but she leapt out of the way only to see the turian motion for two salarians to move towards her. This didn't go unnoticed, and within seconds, she reached into her pockets, finding that her tech grenades were still there and took it out, priming it.  _C-Sec need to improve their body searches._

Once primed, she threw it directly at the approaching thugs, the device exploding in bright orange light, killing them instantly as she took the oppurtunity to sprint for cover; hopefully before Fist and his gang opened fire. She just made cover as a unusual sound was heard, but she ignored it in favor of living. Hiding behind her cover, she unsheathed her knife, ready to gut her attackers.  _I knew I couldn't trust him. Now I'm going to die for my foolishness._ To keep herself from shaking uncontrollably, she tightened her grip on the knife, trying to flood confidence into her. She listened helplessly as she prepared to lash out, the sounds of footsteps fast approaching.

Then all went loud as a piercing screech was heard, followed by gasps of shock and the sound of cracking glass, and finally, a body tumbling to the ground. Peeking over her cover, she saw Fist on the ground, cradling his legs as the turian and salarians approached a crashed car. She frowned at her rescuer's entrance.  _Or are they trying to kill me?_ It didn't matter, all she had to do now was watch the commotion. She almost screamed as she watched the turian's head explode, followed by many of his thuggish companions dying around him.

She saw another turian emerge from the wreckage, wielding a advanced looking sniper as he cut into the salarians. Another figure, a human glowing in tech armor and medium body armor, followed behind the turian as he cut into the thugs with ease. Within seconds, they were all dead. She creeped out of her cover and moved towards Fist, knife in her hand. Fist looked at her in surprise but didn't get to make a sound as she lunged and stabbed him in the kneecap, Fist screaming in pain as she spoke, "That was for betraying me, you perverted bosh'tet!" She spat as she removed the knife, sheathing it in her boot.

Looking up, she saw possibly five of the most well-armed figures she had ever seen. A single human stood before her, his heavy armor gleaming in the red light of the alleyway, 'N7' broiled across his chest. He wore a helmet that hid most of his features, while he held a punisher sniper rifle in lower parry. To his right stood a human female in white and pink armor holding an avenger assault rifle, her features hidden behind another helmet, but she could tell she was disgusted at the sight of her.

Another human stood to his left, a male, the one she'd seen before with the tech armor, who held a simple pistol in his right hand, smiling at her. Whether it was of their victory over her or actual kindness, she didn't know. The turian from before stood to the human male's left, holding his sniper rifle while seemingly scanning the area for more hostiles. The most notable feature of the squad, one that made her shiver, was the huge krogan towering behind them all, his Solokov shotgun held infront of him as he gave her a stoic stare.

Upon instinct, she picked up Fist's pistol and pointed it at the N7, causing him to freeze in place and the female to level her weapon on her, followed by the krogan, but the other's didn't react, simply stopping as the N7 raised his hands up in a peaceful gesture.

"Whoa, slow down. We're not here to hurt you." The N7 said, holstering his sniper rifle to reinforce his point, followed by the rest of his squad and, with some reluctance, the female human. Tali just scanned the man before speaking. "Fist set me up. I knew I couldn't trust him. Shadow Broker must have set him to kill me." Tali said, holstering the pistol on her hip. She knew these people could easily gun her down quicker than she could blink, so she took her chances.

"You mean Saren. Fist betrayed the Shadow Broker." The turian stated clearly, nodding at his own words. Tali's eyes opened in shock.  _Fist was working with Saren all along? So this was a trap!_ Tali mumbled under her breath before turning back to the group. The N7 was the first to speak.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt? Do you need medi-gel?" He asked, his voice...sincere. Fist's kindness had been dripping with an ulterior motive but this human...he seemed, genuinely kind. Was she dreaming?

"I can handle myself, although I appreciate the help. Although...I still don't know the names of my rescuers."  _Great work Tali. 'I can handle myself' that's a excellent way to thank them! Why don't you call them idiotic bosh'tets while you're at it, foolish girl!_ she mentally kicked herself, but the human's answer was actually a laugh. The N7 scratched the back of his neck.

"Oh, yeah. Almost forgot," his voice immediately turned from sheepish to serious, his posture strengthening, "Lieutenant Commander Shepard, Alliance Navy. These are my companions," he pointed to the female, who's glare didn't wither, "Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams," he moved to the male, "Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko," he jabbed a thumb at the krogan, "Urdnot Wrex."

" _Battlemaster_ Urdnot Wrex...and don't you forget it." The krogan grumbled, fiddling with his solokov for emphasis.

The human commander named Shepard finally turned to the turian, "and C-Sec Officer Garrus Vakarian, the one who's been looking for you ever since you arrived here. He's the reason we even found out about you, so you can thank him." Garrus nodded, smiling at Tali. Tali was surprised by the amount of hostility; there was none. She had expected things like 'we saved you suit-rat' or 'give us what we need filth.' Instead, she had been politely introduced to the man's squad. Shepard's voice broke her from those thoughts.

"And finally, the damsel in distress. You are miss...?" Tali cocked her head in confusion.  _A what in distress? Is that a insult or something? Nevermind that! He's waiting!_

"T-Tali. Tali'Zorah nar Rayya." She stated, stuttering.  _What is wrong with you?_ Shepard instead smiled, "That's a nice name. Nice to meet you...would you prefer Miss Zorah? Or Miss nar Rayya?" He asked her. Tali was now even more flabbergasted.  _First he shows no racism and now he's actually asking my opinion. Is this all a dream or something?_ Tali seemed to ponder this for a few moments before looking back at him, "J-j-just call m-me Tali. Tali is just fine." She said, feeling alittle bit out of place.

"Tali it is. You can call me Shepard. Everyone else does. Most of the time." For once, the woman named Ashley finally broke her glare to laugh, followed by smirks growing on Kaidan and Garrus' faces. Wrex stayed in his same stuck up pose. Tali couldn't but smile as well, but not for the same reason. She was smiling because maybe...just maybe...these people would let her come with them.  _They're the only ones actually showing me kindness. If I stayed here...I shudder to think what could happen._

"Shepard, the evidence. We need the evidence." Ashley reminded Shepard, and he immediately snapped out of his trance, as he seemed to have been staring at her.  _Staring at me? What's so interesting about me? Its probably nothing. Maybe he's never seen a quarian before._ Shepard nodded, hands behind his back.

"Yes. Tali, we heard you have information that might implicate Saren has a traitor. We were hoping you could shed some light on that." Tali felt like she'd faint at this rate.  _Not racist, cares about my opinion and now he's the first one to take me seriously? If only Keenah were here..._ Pushing away the images of Keenah's last moments, Tali nodded and pulled out the OSD.

"Yes. I went to Illium, I went to C-Sec, but none of them would listen..." Tali began, but Garrus came to her aid; confusingly. Turians were known for being VERY biased against quarians.

"That's C-Sec for you. I swear they're corrupt. I'm not surprised they didn't listen. Who did you take it to?" Tali looked at the turian, who had a smile on his mandibles.

"Someone named Lieutenant Gyuras I think." The quarian said.

"That racist bastard? Now I'm DEFINITELY not surprised." Garrus immediately returned to his position next to Kaidan upon learning the information he wanted. Shepard nodded and turned to her, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Its okay. We know you've been through alot. Losing your friend, attacked by assassins and now almost being trapped with nowhere to go. I can't imagine what you feel like right now, but we need you to be strong and do what's right. I swear I will find you the best protection on the Citadel, but I need you to tell me what you know. Lifes hang in the balance while this bastard runs on the loose. Your information could help us catch and end him."

Tali looked at Shepard, his eyes gleaming with sincerity.  _Meru. Ancestors forgive me for my distrust, for you have sent a yza'rlzz. May you watch my back with loving care, Keelah Se'lai. I love you mum._ Breaking from her mental prayer, she turned back to Shepard and nodded, signalling Shepard to back down.

"I...I have proof that Saren is planning to attack Council space with an armada of geth." Shepard smiled while Ashley seemed to shout 'hell yes!' and the others just grinned, while Wrex remained...big surprise...stuck up. She began wringing her fingers as she held the OSD.  _Just give it to them and be on your way._ She began to move towards Shepard when he turned to his squad.

"Everyone into the car." He ordered, and everyone moved inside the car, followed by Shepard himself, who moved back into the driver's seat. Tali simply looked at the back of the car quizzically.  _Don't they need my evidence?_

"You coming Tali?" Shepard shouted, waving his hand towards the car for her to get in. Tali simply looked at the OSD and back at the car. Having made her decision, she approached the car and a sheepish grin crossed her features as she sat in the middle, feeling the car lift up and back into the skyway, shooting out towards the Presidium ring.

_My pilgrimage may have just gotten better._

**{Loading...}**

_June 16, 2183_

_1556 hours._

_Human Embassy, Citadel Embassies, Shalta Wards, The Citadel._

_Mission Parameters: The quarian has been rescued and Fist left for C-Sec. Wrex has promised to come finish the job while Sergeant Vakarian, under scrutiny from his new commanding officer, has let him go. Evidence is ready for presentation to the Council members._

_Eden Prime War._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, Battlemaster Urdnot Wrex, Detective Sergeant Garrus Vakarian, Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Ambassador Donnel Udina, Captain David Edward Anderson._

Marcus smiled at the looks he got from the surrounding civilians. They were surprised to see a N7, two alliance marines, a krogan battlemaster, a turian C-Sec officer and a quarian moving through the streets of the Presidium, but most of them passed dirty looks on Tali, as if she was garbage. Even Ashley seemed alittle bit wearsome of her.  _What is wrong with her? She seems nice._ It wasn't long before they finally arrived at the human embassy. Slapping the door control, he saw the door slide open and welcome himself inside.

Udina sat behind his desk, obviously infatuated with his work, while Anderson stood overlooking the Presidium on the balcony. Upon hearing the doors open, Udina and Anderson snapped their looks to Marcus and his squad of badasses, and they immediately approached him.

"You're not making my life easy Shepard. A firefight in Chora's Den? A clinic? Not to mention that you caused damage to corporate property! You crashed cars into the Baria Frontiers building! Do you know how many angry investers come running to me for answers?" Marcus rolled his eyes and saw Anderson grinning at him behind the politician, seemingly finding Udina's anger amusing.

"To be honest, I don't care ambassador. What you should care about is that I found your evidence. Tali, do make yourself known." Udina shifted his look to the quarian, who didn't move. Marcus smiled at her, but the shy quarian didn't even budge. Marcus chuckled lightly.  _Why do I find that cute?_ Shaking those thoughts from his head he motioned for Kaidan, and he tapped the quarian on the shoulder and she nodded, stepping forward.

"A quarian? What the hell are you up to Shepard?" Udina outbursted, seemingly shocked by a quarian's presence in his embassy.

"Yes sir, a suit-rat." Ashley followed up, which got Tali to snap her head at her. Marcus, confused, finally turned to the woman and asked, "What in  _hashem_  is a suit-rat?" Everyone stopped and faced Marcus, seemingly shocked by this turn of events. He met all of their looks, one by one, until he was satisfied he'd found them all. It was Tali who spoke up.

"People are-are not very-kind to my people. We-they-say mean things-about us. We're forced to live as nomads ever since been exiled from our world so, we kind've have to...do whatever we can to survive. We're seen as vermin...which gave birth to...well...the insult 'suit-rat' in my people's language it means, 'Children of the Filth.' Its...highly insulting." He heard a tinge of sadness in the girl's voice, and felt immediately sorry for her.  _There must be a basis for this racism. It can't be unwarranted, but this girl surely isn't...a parasite?_

"Then I believe Tali deserves an apology, Gunnery Chief Williams." He shot a glare at the soldier, who looked shocked at him. He fixed the glare so icy cold that Ashley finally, but reluctantly, turned around to the quarian, saying sorry as sincerely as she could before turning to look out a window. Marcus turned to face Udina, but saw Anderson raise a thumbs up in the background.

Udina simply sighed, "So...what does this quarian have for evidence? Or is she just wasting our time?" Marcus ignored Udina's remark, and turned to Tali, motioning for her to activate the information. Tali nodded, inserting the OSD into her omni-tool before bringing it up. A familiar voice rang out through the room.

"Eden Prime was a major victory! The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit."

Suddenly, a female voice came through as well, "And one step closer to the return of the Reapers." Deactivating her omni-tool, Tali turned to look at Marcus, receiving a nod from him, which made her blush for some reason behind her mask.  _Why are you blushing woman!? All he did was nod! What is it about this man that is making you act this way!_ Tali lowered her look and noticed something she shouldn't.  _Cute butt. Keelah you bosh'tet! Stop thinking those things! You can't possibly be suggesting...no no no! Shove that thought aside! Okay...back on track!_

"I didn't recognize that other voice, the one talking about Reapers." Udina stated clearly. It was now Anderson's turn to speak up, the man standing beside Udina.

"But this proves Saren was behind the attack! What confuses me was the Reaper bit. What in the galaxy are Reapers?" Tali immediately jumped up, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. She immediately stop bouncing and explained.

"They were apparently a hyper-advanced machine race that existed fifty thousand years ago. They hunted the protheans to complete extinction, and then they vanished! At least...that's what the geth believe." Everyone nodded with her words, the implications sinking down deep.  _If the geth are calling these Reapers gods...well...if Saren wants to bring them back, then we are fucked if we don't do something._

"Sounds a little farfetched." Udina stated, Marcus finally having to agree with him. But he wasn't ignoring a potential threat. If the Reapers were real, and they probably were, then they had to stop them from...wait, didn't they vanish?

"I thought they vanished?" Marcus asked the quarian, her head turning to him upon hearing his voice.

"The geth revere the Reapers as gods; the pinnacle of synthetic life. And they believe Saren...knows how to bring the Reapers back." Udina made a comical facepalm, while Anderson simply held a shocked expression. Wrex seemed to finally be considering the implications of this and his other crew members looked just as shocked.

"Oh the Council is just going to love this." Udina said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. The truth was, Marcus couldn't blame him for saying so. The Council would probably wet themselves.  _Considering they even believe in it._

"No matter what they think of the rest of this, that recording proves Saren's a traitor! Enough to revoke his spectre status and allow us to finally go after him! Not to mention for the Council to finally sanction the alliance fleet the ability to mobilize. We can't even budge without their consent, bloody politicians." Anderson exclaimed, everyone nodding in agreement.

"Then let's go. We have alot of explaining to do." Udina stated, moving for the door. Before he could however, Tali stepped to Marcus' side.  _What are you doing? You might want to join his team but do you really feel safe with him? Yes. But do you think he'll even accept you? Who would want a suit-rat on their team? Yet again, he had shown her kindness...yeah! For the evidence, moron!_ She felt an inner battle going on before she finally mustered the courage to ask.

"Commander Shepard, please let me join your team!" She shouted, causing everyone to immediately stand still in surprise. Marcus turned to the quarian and smiled, but immediately lost upon realization.

"I'm afraid not. You see, that's up to Anderson. He's the ship's commanding officer." He pointed towards Anderson, who shook his head in amusement. "Commander, I may run the ship, but you command the ground team. It is YOUR decision who joins your squad, I just run the ship." Marcus beamed brightly at Anderson's revelation, and then turned to the quarian, smiling like a child on Christmas.

"Then welcome aboard, Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. Welcome to the team. What do you specialize in? I need to know your skill set." Tali carefully pondered Shepard's question as she shook his hand; an odd gesture but accepted nonetheless, no matter how awkward.

"I'm a machinist but also an engineer. I'm good at hacking and I'm profficient with shotguns and pistols." Marcus nodded at her words, before turning to Garrus. Garrus was apparently a sniper and was good with calibrating guns, while Wrex was biotic and, like Tali, preferred close-quarters combat.

"When you're done...organizing your team...we will be waiting for you in the Council Chambers." With that, Udina pushed past the group and left, followed by a more polite Anderson, who smiled at Marcus before leaving.

"I still hate that guy." Ashley stated, allowing everyone a little chuckle. After finally getting skill sets established, Marcus motioned for his team to follow him to the Citadel Tower.  _So Tali is a engineer, Garrus a sniper and Wrex a close quarters combatant. That works for me. This squad is a little bit odd, but so what? It feels like it'll be fun._

It wasn't long before they arrived at the elevator and let a shocked human out of it, before entering and hitting the button for the Council Chambers. The glass door sealed, and he immediately felt as if he was lifting up. The elevator ride took only two minutes, so it wasn't long before they had arrived at the top of the Tower.

_Now time to take this piece of shit down._

**{Loading...}**

_June 16, 2183_

_1608 hours._

_Presidium, Council Chambers, Citadel Tower, The Citadel._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, Battlemaster Urdnot Wrex, Detective Sergeant Garrus Vakarian, Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya._

All was umeasurably silent as the group slowly approached the Council, there heads up high and ready to unleash the evidence upon the politicians, prepared to witness Saren's downfall. He could feel every eye in the room peeled on him, evaluating him; every human, asari, turian, hanar, salarian, elcor, and even keeper, keeping their eyes fixed on this human and his multiracial squad of badasses. This was the moment of truth. Saren was about to be brough to justice, and once done, the Alliance would surely chase after the turian and end his terror before it begins.

He stopped infront of Udina and Anderson, and gave them nods of approval, but he left his squad behind, but motioning Tali to follow him. The quarian did as asked, but she was still a little bit nervous about meeting the galaxy's leaders.  _Okay. Calm down, don't hyperventilate! Short, deep breaths!_ Tali quickly and quietly followed behind the N7, and found her eyes examining his body again.  _What the hell are you doing? Stop doing that, keelah!_ As if mentally slapping herself out of her trance, she shot her look to straight ahead and found she was looking at the three councilors; turian, asari, salarian. Sparatus immediately noticed her and gave her a weary look. Tevos seemed completely unfazed while Valern seemed pensive.

"It is very late, Ambassador. I hope you have something worth our time." Sparatus snapped, looking extremely tired for some reason. Tevos and Valern simply nodded in sync, either sucking up to the turian or actually agreeing with him. Udina nodded and motioned for Marcus and Tali to step forward, which they did.

"Yes Councilors. We have proof." Upon Marcus' words, the councilors immediately shot each other looks of apprehension. The Sparatus looked annoyed, Tevos seemed shocked and Valern seemed absolutely curious. Nodding, Marcus motioned for Tali to step forward. Sparatus was having none of it apparently.

"A quarian Shepard? What are you trying to prove by bringing...that in here? Can you not bring the proof without her?" Tali ignored the turian's words, as she knew Shepard would defend her.  _Oh, so you know him do you? No, but he saved my life and showed me kindness! Doesn't mean he's going to defend you like some kind of lover._ She was plesantly surprised when, indeed, he did defend her.

"This quarian has a name. Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. She is not a thing, or a suit-rat, or a 'that'. She is a woman, a organic being, and you will treat her as such. Not to mention she was out trying to save the galaxy while you were doing...'more important things.'" He punctuated the last sentence with question marks, while Sparatus simply rolled his eyes, letting Tali start. With a reassuring smile, Tali nodded and brought up her omni-tool. Tapping the button for the recording, they all listened intently.

"Eden Prime was a major victory! The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the conduit!" Saren's voice rang out, putting the councilor's in absolute shock, while Sparatus looked angry.

"And one step closer to the return of the Reapers." And that, he noticed very well, froze Tevos.  _Why do I have a feeling she knows who the woman is?_ With that, Tali deactivated her omni-tool and backed off, Marcus nodding his thanks before turning back to the awaiting Council.

"You wanted proof? Well there it is!" Udina shouted, stepping forward with pride. Marcus simply crossed his arms and waited for the Council's response. They seemed deep in pensive thought, hoping to carefully mouth their words. Finally, Sparatus spoke up.

"This evidence is irrefutable ambassador. Saren will be stripped of his Spectre status and all efforts will be made to bring him in to answer for his crimes." The other councilors nodded in agreement. However, this time it was Tevos who spoke this time, her voice full of worry.

"I recognize the other voice. The one speaking with Saren. Matriarch Benezia. Matriarch's are one of the most powerful asari in existence, being very wise and old. Benezia was one of the most powerful and will have many followers, she'll make a formidable ally for Saren."

"I'm more interested in these 'Reapers'. What can you tell us about them?" Valern asked, his voice dripping with curiosity.  _Time to drop the bomb._ Marcus turned to Anderson; who in turn nodded and faced the Council, beginning his explanation.

"Only what Tali extracted from the geth's memory core," Anderson said, nodding at said quarian who simply looked at the ground, wringing her fingers, "The Reapers were an ancient race of machines that wiped out the Protheans. Then they vanished, and we believe the geth worship them as gods, the testament to the final evolution of synthetic life."

The councilors seemed to ponder these words, but didn't appear worried in the slightest. It was then that Marcus spoke up.

"We think the Conduit might be the key to bringing them back. Saren's searching for it. That's why he wanted the beacon on Eden Prime." Marcus stated firmly, before hearing Valern's, almost immediate, reaction.

"Do we even know what this Conduit is?" The salarian asked, his hands firmly under his chin. Marcus shook his head.

"Look, if Saren thinks it'll bring back the Reapers, then its definitely a threat." He stated.

"Listen to what you're saying. Saren wants to bring back the machines that wiped out all life in the galaxy? Impossible, it has to be. Where did the Reapers go? Why did they vanish? Why have we found no trace of their existence? If they were real, we would have found something." Sparatus stated, as if trying to convince himself. Marcus couldn't help but agree with some of the facts given, but he wasn't giving up.

"Hey! I tried to warn you about Saren and his geth didn't I? But no, you didn't listen to me! Don't make the same mistake again!" Marcus said, Anderson simply nodding his head while Udina remained in the same stance he had before; crossed arms while staring at the Council.

It was Tevos who spoke up, "This is different. You proved Saren betrayed the Council, we all agree he's using the geth to search for the conduit, but we don't really know why." Valern nodded, exiting his pensive position.

"The Reapers are obviously just a myth commander. A convenient lie to cover his true purpose. A legend he is using to bend the geth to his will." Marcus felt his face redden.  _First they ignored the fact that Saren was a traitor and I proved them wrong. Now they're showing even more ignorance!_

"Why can't you understand? The Reapers wiped out all galactic civilization fifty thousand years ago! If Saren finds the Conduit, it will happen again!" Sparatus simply shook his head at Marcus' continued persistence, a wave of his hand as if to dismiss the soldier.

"Saren's a rogue spectre on the run for his life. He no longer has the rights or resources of a Spectre, the Council has stripped him of his position." The other councilors nodded in agreement, and were not prepared for Udina's intervention.

"That's not good enough! You know he's hiding in the Traverse! Send your fleet in!" Udina said, clenching his fist in the air as if to punctuate his words, pure anger shining in the light of the councilor's ignorance.

"A fleet cannot track down one man." Valern stated, bluntly not fazed by Udina's anger.

"The Citadel fleet could secure the entire region. Keep the geth from attacking anymore of our colonies!" Marcus and Anderson nodded in agreement, while Tali simply fazed out of the meeting all together, Marcus giving her a nod. The quarian, seeing she had permission to leave, immediately left, as she had no place in politics.

"Or it could trigger a war with the Terminus Systems. We won't be dragged into a galactic confrontation over a few dozen human colonies." Sparatus stated, gaining a glare from Marcus. He really didn't like Sparatus, and now he could see why. Even Udina was more likeable. He couldn't even contain his anger as he spat back.

"Ever time humanity has stepped up and asked for help, you ignored us! You did it at Eden Prime, you did it at Elysium and you're doing it now! I watched good men and women die under my command because you refused to get off your cowardly backsides and do anything!" Marcus shouted, causing the council to back off a little, as if finally fazed by his words. Surprisingly, Udina nodded his head at him, smiling.

"Shepard's right! I'm sick of this Council and its anti-human bullshit!" He roared, pointing an accusing finger at all three members of the Council. Tevos finally raised her hands to bring silence, before throwing glances at Sparatus and Valern as she spoke.

"There is another solution. One that doesn't require fleets...or armies." Tevos said, and Sparatus immediately jumped at the suggestion, his voice full of doubt.

"No! Its too soon! Humanity is not ready to accept the responsibilities that come with joining the Spectres." Marcus knew this had to be about him, and he had to seize his chance.  _Being a Spectre will give me alot of privledges. Privledges I could use to bring down that turian bastard and make this galaxy a better place._ Stepping forward to address the Council, Marcus put his hands out to lean on the rail.

"Not ready? Have you really looked at my record? I fought on Eden Prime when noone else would. I took on an entire army of ten thousand batarians single-handedly, and won. And now, I fought an army of geth on Eden Prime while you were here debating. I've earned my place as a Spectre. If you really want to stop Saren, you'll make me one. Because without me, you can label this war as lost." Marcus had basically just handed it to them. Sparatus stood there in pensive thought, while Valern nodded and Tevos smiled at him. The asari and salarian looked at the turian, waiting for his approval. All they got was a frustrated sigh as Sparatus finally nodded.

"Commander Shepard. Step forward." Marcus smiled as he stood up straight, looking directly at the Councilors. Behind him, he noticed his squad had come up to witness the historic event; the first human spectre. On the balconies above were numerous asari, turians, humans, salarians, elcor, hanar, the lot, all watching him.

"It is the decision of the Council that you be granted all the powers and privledges of the Special Tactics and Reconnissance Branch of the Citadel." Tevos finished reciting, as Valern closed his arms, reciting the words.

"Spectres are not trained...but chosen. Individuals forged in the fire of service and battle, those whose actions elevate them above the rank and file." Valern finished, allowing Tevos to continue.

"Spectres are an ideal, a symbol, the embodiment of courage, determination, and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council; instruments of our will." Tevos stated clearly, which allowed Sparatus, however arrogant of the decision, to finish it up.

"Spectres bare a great burden. They are protectors of galactic peace. Both our first and last line of defense. The safety of the galaxy is theirs to uphold." Sparatus finished, allowing Tevos to finally congratulate Marcus, who felt completely overwhelmed by his new title; Spectre.  _I can get used to that. Spectre. Ha._

"You are the first human spectre, commander. This is a great accomplishment for you and your entire species." Tevos finished, smiling. Marcus simply nodded at her, bowing slightly, "I'm honored, Councilor Tevos."

"We're sending you into the traverse after Saren. He's a fugitive from justice so you are authorized to use any means nessacary to apprehend or eliminate him." Valern stated, Marcus nodding.  _Eliminate. That guy can't be allowed to escape again. He's just too dangerous._

"We'll find him. Once again, thank you councilors." Marcus gave one final bow before turning to leave, his squad parting to allow him through. Anderson and Udina followed behind him, while Tevos' voice rang out across the chamber, "This meeting of the Council is adjourned." That is the last he heard of the politicians as he stepped back into the garden area, Anderson slapping him on the back.

"You did it Shepard! First human Spectre! That's one for the history books!" The man said applaudingly, Marcus smiling at his mentor and feeling good for getting such appraise from his superior.

"As a Spectre you know have access to the best weapons money can buy. You'll also need a ship, supplies..." Udina began, but Anderson cut him off, grinning.

"I think I have just the ship. Meet us at the Normandy, commander. We'll get you a ship in no time." Marcus nodded as Anderson and Udina spun on their heels and left, heading straight for a nearby taxi. Turning to his squad, he sighed heavily.

"So...ready to take down a rogue turian spectre and his armies of geth?" Marcus asked.

The reply was immediate. Ashley raised her rifle above her head and shouted 'hell yeah!' Kaidan nodded, smiling as Wrex pounded his fist into his palm. Garrus fiddled with his sniper rifle in a way that meant, 'just let me load my rifle' and Tali shouted something along the lines, 'Keelah Se'lai!'

Marcus smiled at the mishap of aliens on his time, thinking of how odd a bunch they were.  _I'm sure they'll learn to work together over the course of this war._

"Then let's go. We've got a ship to pickup." Marcus turned to leave, but Wrex and Garrus held their hands up, both motioning for him to stop.

"I've got some things to clean up with my C-Sec captain. I'll meet you there Shepard. Don't worry, I ain't running away." Marcus nodded as Garrus walked off, heading for the elevator before Wrex spoke up. "I've got a contract to finish up for my client and then I'll be there. I won't do this for credits, consider my fee completely free." With that, Wrex grinned wickedly before following the turian's movement. Turning to the remaining members of his squad; Tali, Ashley and Kaidan, he motioned for them to follow him to a rapid transit terminal.

_I can see an adventure coming up._

**{Loading...}**

_June 16, 2183_

_1623 hours._

_Captain Entricas' Office, C-Sec Headquarters, Shalta Wards, The Citadel._

_Detective Sergeant Garrus Vakarian._

Yes, Garrus was going to love this. Telling Entricas to shove it? This was going to be fun on every level. And now that his new commander, not to mention infinitely better, was a Spectre, he could practically shoot Entricas and get away with it. But he wouldn't do that...not as satisfying. Bailey followed closely behind him, hearing the news of his membership on Shepard's crew and could tell from the moment that Garrus entered C-Sec HQ that he was here to sign some resignation papers; with his fist. It was a sight he had to see.

The turian and his human companion weaved through the corridors of the HQ before finally reaching the door to Entricas' office. Clenching his talons into a tight fist, Garrus lightly rapped the door. "Enter" came Entricas' voice, and Garrus hit the button to open while Bailey stood outside, pretending not to be there, winking at the turian as he went in.

"Ah, Vakarian. Yes, what do you want? I'm running on a tight schedule." Garrus smiled as his fist clenched up. Finally lunging out, he hit Entricas across the face, causing the turian to fall back in his chair from the blow, Garrus smiling profusely. Entricas cradled his face like a child being hit by his mother, immediately standing back up to face him, Garrus still grinning like an idiot.

"Consider that my resignation, Entricas." Garrus punctuated, aggravating Entricas who prepared to lash out.

"I can have you charged of insubordination Vakarian, not to mention physical assault of a law enforcement officer!" Garrus laughed long and hard, unable to contain himself and tried to prepare his braggart personality.

"Actually, as I am now part of the crew of a Spectre, I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. Just consider that payback. Goodbye, Entricas, I've got a galaxy to save while you run a 'tight schedule.' Enjoy your dextro donuts, I heard Peterson made them himself! Yummy!" He chuckled at Entricas angry growls as he left the room, door sealing behind him. Looking at Bailey, they both burst out laughing.

"You finally handed it to him you cheeky bastard!" Bailey said, high fiving the turian, or high threeing in the turian's case, and they continued chuckling as they left C-Sec HQ, exiting out onto the streets of the Presidium Commons. Garrus then finally turned to Bailey, and held out a hand to him.

"This is goodbye, Bailey. I've got the oppurtunity of a lifetime here; I can't let my skills got to waste while playing around with idiotic politicians." Bailey immediately took the hand, gripping it strongly as he shook it.

"Everything will be fine without you around, batman. Just make sure to bring back a souvenir or something; like a geth's head? I could use it as a desk lamp." Garrus chuckled and let Bailey return inside before shouting after him, "Keep in Entricas in check!" Bailey simply laughed until the doors closed infront of him, blocking out his laughter. Garrus turned back to the Commons, taking a deep breath through his nostrils.

_This is a new beginning...for all of us._

With that, Garrus headed for the elevator, content with where his life had taken him.

**{Loading...}**

_June 16, 2183_

_1623 hours._

_Docking Sector 12, C-Sec Academy, Shalta Wards, The Citadel._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Ambassador Donnel Udina, Captain David Edward Anderson._

Marcus stood patiently on the elevator as it continued to ascend from the Academy and towards the dock where the Normandy was docked, and where Anderson and Udina would be ready to present him his ship.  _I'll have my own to ship to command? What kind of crew? And I was getting to know the Normandy's crew so well...I guess that's the disadvantage of a military life._ He looked around at his squad but his eyes immediately landed on Tali. The suit put an aura on the woman, making her very mysterious.

He continued to think of his military life until he arrived at the docks, stepping out to see Anderson and Udina already waiting at the airlock. He quickly approached them, motioning for his squad to stay behind and chat as he spoke with Udina and Anderson. He quickly saluted Anderson, who reciprocated the gesture.

"So...I'm guessing you found me a ship?" Marcus asked the two men, who gave themselves both a glance before Udina nodded, Anderson turning to Marcus, his face creasing in a smile.

"Indeed we did. I'm resigning my position as captain of the Normandy. She's all yours Shepard." Marcus shot his look at Anderson, who in turn smiled even broader.  _Normandy? Mine? He can't be serious! But...well I'm not one to reject such gifts..._

"Are you sure Captain?" He asked, wanting conformation from the man who had mentored him for so long and was now giving his ship away to his former XO. Anderson nodded.

"She's a fine ship and you know the crew. Perfect ship for a Spectre. Treat her well." Marcus nodded, grinning just as broadly now, "I will sir. Thank you." With that, they stood in awkward silence for a few minutes before Udina broke the silence.

"We have three leads for you that you may want to pursue. We've recently lost contact with our colony on Feros, and we think it may be under attack from the geth. Therum has also dropped off the grid, where we think Liara T'Soni, Benezia's daughter might be. She could help you greatly in finding Saren and her mother. Noveria also has dealings with Saren, and might be a good place to look for clues to his whereabouts."

"Thank you ambassador, I think I'll save Miss T'Soni first, see what she knows. I'm optimistic that she might not be willing to fight for Saren." Marcus stated, nodding at Udina for emphasis.

"This is your mission now Commander, you don't answer to us. We wish you good luck. We'll be here if you need us, but right now we have to return to the embassy, lots of work to do. Good luck, Shepard. Bring that bastard to his knees." With a parting pat on the shoulder, Anderson walked past with Udina and entered the elevator, door closing behind them as the elevator descended.

"So...is...this your...ship?" Tali asked from behind him, and he turned to see Ashley and Kaidan already inside the ship, with Tali behind him, looking him in the eyes. He felt like he was in somekind of trance, but shook it off. "Is now. Captain Anderson gave his ship to me. I guess I should introduce you to the crew. Along with Garrus and Wrex when they get here."

Tali simply nodded, looking at the ground as she spoke, "He just gave you the ship? My people hold our ships in high regard, and it is rare for a captain to part his or her ship. They treat their ships like family. Its a tradition on the fleet." Tali was pleasantly surprised that Marcus didn't interrupt her, and even better, was actually listening to her.

"Oh yeah, the Migrant Fleet or 'Flotilla'. I feel sorry for your people. Maybe this war will get you your homeworld back? Either way, I'm glad to have you on my team. Maybe you can teach me more about the flotilla later? It sounds very interesting." Tali almost bounced in joy at his sudden acceptance of her.  _He's actually willing to listen to me? This has to be a dream. Has to be..._

"Thank you Commander, I...appreciate it." Tali said, smiling behind her mask.

"Please Tali, remember this. Its just Shepard. I don't need people going all formal on me. Now come on, Mr. Dinosaur and Big And Ugly will be here in a minute." Marcus motioned for Tali to follow him towards the airlock, and the young machinist fell in line behind him to get a few of his butt.  _Wow, Tali. You think that since he's nice to you that you all of a sudden have a crush on the man? That's childish! This man will only see as a friend and nothing else! Now shove those thoughts aside!_ Mentally kicking away the thoughts, she stepped into the airlock behind Marcus just as Garrus and Wrex ran inside.

"Well, I think its time you met the crew." Marcus stated.

And with that, the mishap of aliens went on a journey that none of them knew would eventually make them family.

**"'Above the law and beyond' is how you'd describe the spectres?"**

**\- Carter Dielheart.**

**"Sure is. And then man sure took alot of liberties. You'd think the man was a saint, the things he did. Anyway, back on track. The Normandy, it was his now and he began introducing the crew. I think this is where the crew bondings really started to take shape. That and the gossip about our first mission to Therum."**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001**


	9. Jokes, Laughter and a Stuttery Quarian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tali, Garrus and Wrex are introduced to the crew. Some find it more difficult than others to accept aliens on the crew.

**ENIGMA**

**CHAPTER SEVEN:**

**JOKES, LAUGHTER AND A STUTTERY QUARIAN**

_**Author's Notes:** _

_**I don't know if you know this, but I just learned that Robin Sachs, the voice actor for Zaeed Massani, has just passed away in his home on Friday, at age 62. Tribute to him.** _

_**Keelah Se'lai.** _

_**Just thought you should know that. Now, back to the story!** _

_June 16, 2183_

_1626 hours._

_Cockpit, Normandy-Class Stealth Frigate SSV Normandy SR-1, Docked with the Citadel._

_Eden Prime War._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Flight Lieutenant Jeff "Joker" Moreau, Ex-Detective Sergeant Garrus Vakarian, Battlemaster Urdnot Wrex, Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya._

As soon as Tali exited the decontamination chamber, she was simply amazed the ship she had walked into. During Shepard's speech, she had simply examined the ship, detail by detail, and was impressed by how advanced the ship was. It was apparently a joint human-turian design, and they certainly didn't mess around in making sure it was fully equipped. It was obvious this deck was the CIC, as the cockpit was to the left of the airlock, while the right had a flight deck that descended into a seperate area with a galaxy map, briefing room and stairs going to the second deck.

She, however, had heard all of Shepard's speech, and was impressed by the human's ability to make such motivational speeches. It was like the man was born to be what he was, and at times it felt like he was a natural speaker; always knowing what words to use to motivate people. When Shepard's speech ended, she felt the ship disconnect from the Citadel docks and lift off, speeding towards the Widow Relay as they began their journey and left the colossal Citadel behind.

"That was one hell of a speech, Shepard. Really got my blood pumping." Garrus announced, seemingly flexing his turian muscles as he spoke. Wrex nodded in agreement at the turian's statement, but kept his firm glare on him. Tali shook her head at the mortal enemies, before noticing Marcus signalling them to move into the cockpit. Tali did so without question, while Garrus and Wrex hesitated for a moment before following.

Seeing everyone inside, Marcus motioned towards the pilot of the ship, who was looking at them with wide eyes. "This is our pilot. His real name is Flight Lieutenant Jeff Moreau, but the crew call him Joker. Be wise to call him that, you have no idea how much it suits him." Garrus chuckled while Wrex shrugged. Tali did nothing.

"Come on commander, this ship isn't a zoo! And a turian and krogan on the ship is a hull breach waiting to happen. The quarian though? Damn, never imagined you'd bring one of them. What's next? Blasto the Hanar Spectre? An asari commando? Or maybe, just maybe, you'll somehow recruit a geth! I'm getting overoptimistic aren't I?" Marcus shook his head at Joker's antics while smiling.

"Joker, these are my latest squad members" Marcus proceeded to introduce each and everyone of them, while Joker shook each of their hands.

"So, what's our first destination, commander?" Joker asked, looking at the commander, "You are the ship's new commanding officer now." Marcus nodded while remembering his options.  _Feros. Therum. Noveria._ He ran through the options in his mind, trying to find the most logical first route. After a few more minutes, he finally turned to Joker.

"Set a course for the Artemis Tau Cluster, Knossos System. Inform me once you're in system and set a course for Therum. We have an asari to rescue. Meanwhile, I've got to assign you three your quarters and working areas. Follow me." The last bit was obviously directed at his three newest squad additions, and they immediately followed him down the flight deck and towards the door on the left leading to the crew deck. By this time they had already passed through the Widow Relay and were already well on their way to Therum.

It wasn't long before they emerged onto the crew deck and Marcus showed them their assigned sleeper pods; Garrus apparently got Marcus' old sleeper pod, while Wrex got a overly large one at the back and Tali one just across from Garrus. After leaving their pods, they headed for the mess hall, passing Kaidan on the way as he worked at a control panel next to the leftside lockers. Marcus then immediately stopped at the mess hall table, turning to face them.

"So...where do you wish to work?" He asked them, and all of them entered pensive thought, including Tali after shock at the suggestion.  _Its obvious where I want to be. Where I'M best at._ She waited for Garrus and Wrex first though.

"I calibrate guns, but since the Normandy's gun controls are unaccessible I think I'll settle with a vehicle to work on. You do have one right?" Garrus asked Marcus, who simply smirked. "Have one? We only have a Mako that takes up a quarter of the cargo bay. So, what about you Wrex?"

"I shoot things, that's it. A corner will do." Wrex barely got out; most of his words gumbled by a grunting sound. Marcus simply nodded before turning to Tali. "As a engineer, I'd figure engineering would be the best place to put you Tali." Tali looked at him and smiled.  _Of course he'd point that out. Engineers work in engine rooms._ "Yes sir." She muttered, but it was loud enough for Marcus to hear it at least.

"Deck three it is then. Follow me." They all nodded without answering, following their commander into the elevator as it began its boring descent.  _Even elevators on the Rayya and Huzzi are faster than this._ Those thoughts were thrown away as the door finally opened, introducing them to a dark cargo bay with a armoury to the left where Ashley, unarmored and wearing a grey alliance casual shirt and pants, was working, a Mako to the right and an Alliance requisitions officer.

"I think I'll take this corner right here." Wrex stated, heading over to a crate only 2 meters to the left of the armoury, the large krogan leaning on the wall and equipping his Solokov, before getting out a fine white cloth, brown with grime, and began rubbing his shotgun as if to clean it. Marcus nodded before moving over to the Mako, motioning for Garrus to take his spot at the terminal.

"Wow...this Mako is really behind in performance. Alot of things to upgrade. I think I'll be hooked for the next couple of days. Thank you commander, I'm glad you let me work on this team." Garrus said hurriedly, before getting straight to work on the terminal, his three fingered talons dancing across the interface. Marcus simply smiled, heading straight for a door at the back, Tali in tow.  _Must be taking me to engineering-_

She never finished as she watched herself emerge into the Normandy's engine room, and she swore she felt her jaw drop to the bottom of her mask. Right before her was possibly the largest drive core she had ever seen. It glowed, spun and pulsed with blue energy, its light ever abundant. It was a marvel of technology, something that completely outclassed any ship in the Migrant Fleet.  _This ship truly is state-of-the-art._

"What is-" She never finished her question as another voice answered for her, creeping up to meet her and Shepard.

"The Tantalus Drive Core, an impressive piece of tech, the commander will tell you that, but judging by your posture, you already think that." Tali turned to look at the man, who was wearing full alliance uniform, her translators translating the words on his nametag as 'Chief Engineer'.

"Chief Engineer Adams, this is Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, she's an engineer and a recent addition to our crew. Tali, this is Chief Engineer Gregory Adams, he will be your commanding officer while you working down here. He answers to you, and don't follow my orders when I work in here, as I'm a idiot when it comes to engineering." Tali lightly laughed at that and Adams chuckled, before turning back to Tali.

"So, Miss Zorah, welcome to the Normandy. I'll introduce you to the engineering crew and then find you a terminal. Oh, and the commander probably hasn't told you yet, but you need to put your belongings in the lockers next to the Armoury." Adams looked at Marcus expectingly, and he sheepishly smiled, scratching the back of his neck.

"Oh right, forgot about that. I'll show you your locker. Lucky for you, you get one right next to me! Oh what an honor it is to be placed next to your idiotic commander!" Marcus remarked sarcastically, beforel leading Tali out of engineering, with Adams eagerly awaiting their return. After being shown her locker, followed by Garrus and Wrex, Marcus had returned with her to engineering and waited for Adams to introduce her to the engineering staff and assign her a spot, before approaching her.

"So Tali, you getting along well with the other crewmembers?" Tali almost jumped when Marcus spoke up to her, clearly not realizing he had approached her. Turning around she nodded, "Yes, surprisingly. I expected many of them to be hostile towards me, but none of them did at all; well, two of them did but Adams defended me immediately! To work on a ship like this!? Its so advanced! Its like a dream come true for me!" Tali finished with an energy he hadn't seen in her before, and to him he found it pretty cute.

"Glad to see you're getting the heart of it. I can't wait to see what you can do in combat." Tali immediately froze at that, seemingly looking for an excuse to drop the subject. Finding none, she sighed and turned back to him, "I...kinda don't have...well, C-Sec confiscated all my weapons so I'm...kinda useless right now except for on the ship," Marcus nodded with understanding, but before he could speak, Tali beat him to it, "I've got enough credits from Han, that's my father's friend, to buy myself another Katana shotgun."

Marcus laughed loudly, "A katana? No Tali, we can't have you buying those! You need better weapons that. Let me place an order with the requisitions officer for something better, like my Armageddon model. I'll also place an order for a new pistol, or an omni-tool if you like. I've seen yours, and your Blue Wire model probably does need replacement." Tali widened her eyes at his suggestion, not wanting to be a waste of resources.

"No no no! You don't need to waste so many credits on someone like me! I'll live with..." Marcus raised a hand before she could finish, causing her to stop.

"Tali...the Alliance AND Council are funding this mission. We'll have plenty of credits to spend, and I need to make sure my team is in tip top shape. You can't go off fighting Saren and the geth with a katana. Or a Blue Wire. You need state of the art tech, and that's what you'll be getting. Don't be so selfless." He smiled warmly at her, which made her feel warm inside.  _Oh Keelah, not again. Ancestors be blessed for these masks. If he saw my face right now...I dread to think what would happen._

"You're right, Shepard. I'm sorry, but its a natural part of being quarian. If we don't stop thinking about others people could get hurt, maybe even killed. That's why we are so selfless. I will try not to be in the future." Marcus widened his eyes and shook his head, confusing the quarian, who cocked her head in confusion.

"No no no! Don't do that! Doing that would destroy who you are. I like people who are selfless. It means they are not willing to put their own life ahead of others. Willing to sacrifice their lives for others. I know you won't have to do that, I sure hope you won't, but it makes you strong. Don't ever change who you are Tali, no matter who asks you to." The entire time he held an arm on her shoulder, her body seeming to flinch at his touch.  _Stop. Over. Exaggerating! He's just touching your shoulder! Its not like he's gripping your..._

"Egh!" She left out, causing Marcus to real back in confusion.

"What? Did I say something wrong? Did I insult you somehow?" Marcus asked in rapidfire, conscious of the fact that he may have offended the quarian.

"What? No! No its not like that! Its...Its...nothing! Nothing at all! Its not like I was imagining you gripping my...my...um...omni-tool! That's right!" She returned in even worse rapidfire, almost tripping over her words. An awkward silence followed before Marcus broke the silence, smiling before moving to lean against a nearby console.

"So...apart from that awkward turn of events, I'd like to learn more about the Flotilla." Tali sighed and laughed, before shaking her head, "You don't want to listen to me. I just blabber on and on and on. You'll get bored to death. I'm not very interesting to talk with." It was half-true. Only Shala and Kal had really listened to her talk, and if Prazza could be counted as someone to have a constructive conversation with then she'd be damned. She didn't really know what to think of Peta. Like Kal she had grown up with him and become an engineer with him while Kal joined the marines.

Peta creeped her out though. It was obvious he had been making moves on her, even going as far to ask her out to 'dinner', which to quarians was eating rations in the other person's quarters, before going out on pilgrimage which to no regret, she rejected. It was no lie that Peta was alittle bit creepy. Everytime she talked with the quarian his eyes always fell towards her breasts or at times, her butt or even her hips, which made her roll her eyes. Of course, that was just how men were, but Peta was different. She could almost feel like he was unsuiting her with his mind. It put chills down her spine.

She wanted nothing to do with Peta, but he wanted everything to do with her. If it hadn't been for Shala's timely arrival, Peta probably would have said something like 'I love you' or 'I want to bond with you' to which it was traditional to immediately accept. Not doing so would be considered sacrilege and frowned upon, but not punished.

"Not very interesting? I wouldn't say that. Besides, your voice is...relaxing. I can feel tired and your voice would be probably make me feel calmer. Its...amazing. I could go as far to say 'its sexy', but I won't do that as for one, you wouldn't like it, and two, its not very professional. So I'll stick with amazing and calming." Tali practically froze to the spot upon his compliment, having no idea what to say.  _Did he just call my accent relaxing? Keelah, change of subject, like, right now! Do something you stupid girl before you do something you regret._

"Well...what do you want to know?" She asked, sighing mentally.

"Anything. I want to get to know my crew so how about...life on the Flotilla? What's it like living in a fleet of ships as nomads?" Marcus asked, still leaning against the console in full body armor as he leaned in closely to listen.

 _This human is...unusual. He's nice, charming...dashing. Handsome, brave, strong, respectful...sexy. No! No! How do I keep ending up here? Dashing? Handsome and then I come up with sexy? Stop thinking these things you silly girl!_ Smiling, she began to tell her story.

**{Loading...}**

_June 16, 2183_

_1740 hours._

_Captain's Quarters, Normandy-Class Stealth Frigate SSV Normandy SR-1, In FTL inbound for the Artemis Tau Cluster._

_Eden Prime War._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard_

Sighing as he hit the door opening mechanism, he watched the doors slide to open up into what once was Anderson's quarters; now his. The room was simple in design, with a single king-sized double bed at the back, with a single desk to the right of it, accompanied by a sink and a mirror. A shower cubicle existed next to the bed while a single table sat in the middle, a blue light illuminating the room. A closet also sat infront of the shower cubicle, with sliding doors and an electronic locking mechanism.

He had shared a hour long conversation with Tali about the migrant fleet, after which she asked if she could begin her duties, to which he allowed, retreating to his quarters only after making small chat with Wrex, Ashley and Garrus. He even had a short talk with Kaidan and a passing Doctor Chakwas before finally retiring to his quarters, deciding to get a look at the place he'd be sleeping in for the rest of his journey, and probably the rest of his career.

Placing his duffel bag on his table, he began removing his armor piece by piece, finishing with his helmet as he placed it in the closet, grabbing a single T-shirt and pants, ignoring the alliance formal wear that was in there. He rather wouldn't be walking around with 'I run this shit' written all over his uniform. It didn't suit his personality.

He finally emptied his duffel bag, which mostly contained simple stuff; his armageddon shotgun, his diamond back assault rifle, his newly acquired punisher sniper rifle with Jenkins scratched into the outer casing by himself, his raikou pistol which had proved handy, his L3 implant painreducers, three packets of personal first aid medi-gel, three of his favourite war novels and a few other personal possessions which he quickly placed around the room.

Feeling drained, Marcus immediately collapsed into his bed, surprised to find it extremely comfortable.  _More comfortable then those damn sleeper pods, that's for sure. I feel sorry for the others, having to live with those things while the captain gets all these...luxuries._ He then imagined if things were different and he was a quarian captain.  _From what Tali told me, I'd be like the rest of the crew; small quarters. That's good, it lets the crew know that the captain is there equal. Here I feel like I'm being a braggart over rank._

He tried to find sleep, but sleep didn't find him. He tossed and turned, he messed with the temperture turning it from cold to hot, and he tried to read himself to sleep. Nothing worked. Finally giving up on sleep, he strode towards the door and exited into the mess hall, deciding to catch dinner while it was ready. It was only now that he realized no kitchen facilities were present, and only a bench next to the table which served rations was the source of food.

 _Fantastic. Food rations, the disgrace of food. This'll be yummy._ Letting his mental sarcasm drift away, he grabbed two nutrient bars and sat down at the table with two other officers, forcing himself to eat the disgusting bars of food.  _Tastes and looks like the shit they give you at prison. I would know because I spent two days at one of them after Eden Prime. What a hellhole._  After swallowing a large chunk of the bar, he heard footsteps approach before he saw Pressly sit down opposite him.

He then realized that Pressly wasn't eating anything but staring at him with a stern look. "Commander, could I speak with you about something?" The navigator finally asked, confirming Marcus' thoughts. Happy to find something to do that didn't involve the consumption of food that tasted like chicken poo, he smiled and looked at Pressly, throwing both nutrient bars into the nearby bin.

"Yes Pressly? What can I do for you?"

"Actually, its what you can tell me. Why are aliens on the ship? A krogan? A turian? A quarian!? What are you thinking bringing them onboard an advanced alliance ship, not excluding the fact that they have access to our systems! This isn't a zoo, you can't just let non-humans wonder aboard whenever they please! Get them off the ship!" Pressly demanded, slamming his fist into the table for emphasis.

"Excuse me Pressly? Did I hear you right? Do you have trouble with my choice of crew? Or is it because they aren't human?" Marcus snapped. Pressly flinched at Marcus' harsh retort, but he was having none of this second guessing on HIS ship. He would have none of it. Any thought of racism in his opinion would die or be tossed overboard.

"Yes. I have concerns..." Pressly began.

"You don't trust me to make the right decisions? Is that it?" Marcus asked.

"No! I question your choice of crew! You can't let a turian or krogan wander around the ship! And letting a quarian have access to classified military engineering equipment? What if she steals it? You know what quarians are like! She could be sending parts to her fleet right now for all we know!" Pressly shouted, letting his racism get ahold over him.

"Thief this, thief that. She's going to steal this, she's going to steal that. Pressly, you listen VERY closely, cause I'm not going to repeat myself," Marcus stated with a venom in his voice he thought he'd never utter, leaning closer to the navigator.

"I'm sick and tired of racism. We had enough of it back on Earth, and we don't need it being brought to the galaxy! We are here to work together! Tali wants to work with us and she's the most selfless person on this ship that I've met so far! Wrex won't be a problem and Garrus is completely trustworthy! If I so much as hear that you've been harassing any of them I will have you removed from my ship. You either get with the program or leave, understood? But I will not let racism compromise this mission." Pressly eyed Marcus with fear as he felt the venom disappear from his voice as he leaned back into his seat.

"Yes-Yes, sorry commander. I'll-I'll return to my station." Pressly immediately leapt up and left the room, not even bothering to look behind him or stop. Marcus just shook his head before reaching over and grabbing a can of beer.  _That's it! I thought I'd forgotten something! I've got to get some more dextro rations. We had some while Nihlus was here but there won't be enough for Tali AND Garrus to share. Also need to look at purchasing more weapons._

Uncapping his beer and taking a sip, he moved towards the elevator and hit the descend button, waiting for it to arrive at the cargo deck. It wasn't long before the elevator finally came to a stop, the door sliding open to allow Marcus to walk out and approach the officer, who's name he still didn't know.

"Hello Commander, what can I do for you?" The officer briskly saluted Marcus as he stopped, Marcus returning the salute before returning to his casual pose.

"Yes, I'd like to purchase some weapons. First off, I need a name." Marcus stated and the officer lifted his head in realization as he smiled and shook his head.

"Yes! Sorry about that sir, my name is Petty Officer Second Class Frederick D. Johnson. You can just call me Fred sir, or Officer Johnson. The others do." Marcus nodded, smiling at the man's similiar situation to the one he shared on the Citadel with Tali, he immediately returned to the present and looked at the man.

"Yes. Fred it is. Now, I'd like to purchase some high-grade weaponry. Mostly shotguns and omni-tools." Fred nodded, bringing up what looked like a military extranet exchange site on his terminal, then turning to look at his commander, waiting for his order.

"Would you be interested in HMWSG Shotgun sir? Latest, state-of-the-art weaponry sir. Available only to Spectres for about a year. You get a discount on the overall pricing. You can get a basic, advanced or master model, but I strongly suggest Master if you're going for heavy firepower." Marcus seemed interested.  _Only for Spectres for a short time? Spectre weapons are guaranteed to be good._

"I'm interested. What's the price?"

"Ten thousand credits. And that's with the 60% discount." Fred answered and Marcus gaped his mouth open and almost half-heartedly chuckled, nodding as he did.

"I'll take it. Also, what kind of omni-tools do you sell? Any that don't involve those terrible Blue Wires?" Marcus asked, Fred searching through his vast category of available stock. Finally finding what he wanted, he looked up to answer.

"Yes we do sir. We have Logic Arrest, Nexus, Polaris, Savant, Chameleon, Cipher and lucky for you, the latest in omni-tool technology with Spectre only HMOT omni-tools, with basic, advanced and master models. Which would you like sir?"

"Purchase six of the HMOT Master models, I want everyone on my squad equipped. Also place an order for that HMWSG Master Shotgun as well." With a final salute, he turned back to the elevator and entered it, hitting button to begin its ascent. It wasn't long before he was back on the crew deck and he decided to take a hot shower.

_Boy do I need it._

**{Loading...}**

_June 16, 2183 (Translated Khelish Time)_

_1744 hours._

_Engineering, Normandy-Class Stealth Frigate SSV Normandy SR-1, In FTL inbound for the Artemis Tau Cluster._

_Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Chief Engineer Gregory Adams._

It had only been a few minutes since Shepard had left, and she felt better already. Adams had been very impressed by her engineering skills, and the first task he had given her was repairing a combustion manifold. He almost choked when she reported back to him in under a minute, and she had been doing minute tasks ever since. Adams had been so impressed by talents that he went as far as to say, 'you're amazing! You know more about the Normandy than half my staff do! Give you a month and you'll no more about this ship then even I do! Excellent work, I think you're more than ready to start dealing with heavy tasks, don't you think?'

She smiled at the thought and at her chance to work with her fellow crew; they may not be quarians, but they were just as social and were very kind towards her. Sighing in excitement, she finished writing up her email to her father, quickly reading over it.

_To: Admiral Rael'Zorah vas Huzzi_

_From: Pilgrim Tali'Zorah nar Rayya_

_Subject: My pilgrimage_

_Father! You won't believe where I find myself! When me and Keenah began my pilgrimage, we disabled a geth's memory core and discovered the geth are planning to invade Council space! After a long time of searching and Keenah's...unfortunate sacrifice, I managed to warn the Council and now I'm serving on the most advanced human warship in existence! This is so exciting!_

_I definitely won't fail you father, I plan to make you proud. And tell Shala I'm safe and she can stop worrying, you know what she's like._

_Keelah Se'lai._

_From: Your daughter, Tali._

_To: Rael'Zorah vas Huzzi_

Smiling, she hit the send button on her omni-tool before heading back into her work; upgrading the dampeners for the engine core. Before she could start running the numbers however, Adams' voice sounded behind her.

"Since your new to the crew, I'm giving you a half an hour shift break. Be back down here by 1814, on the dot, Tali. Take a rest, you definitely earned it." She turned to Adams to reject, but he held a hand out before she could.

"No buts. I know you love your job, but even quarians have to take breaks, am I right? And don't lecture me about fleet survival because let's face it; quarians would die of exhaustion before their ship blew up in their face." If he had been talking to her father, he would have punched the engineer, but Tali simply giggled.

"I suppose your right, Adams. I mean sir!" Tali immediately tried to mimick the human 'hand to the forehead' gesture, which was apparently what humans called a 'salute' and was a way of recognizing a higher ranking officer. Adams shook his head, causing Tali to drop her hand.

"Enough of this sir stuff. I'm too old for that. Its just Adams to you, Greg to family. You're obvious not family, no offense, so you can call me Adams or if you insist, Engineer Adams at least." Tali nodded and shook Adams' hand before leaving the room and moving to step in the elevator. She didn't get very far when Wrex's voice sounded behind her.

"So the suitted worm has finally come out from her hole." Tali spun her heel to face the krogan, who appeared to be content with standing in the corner. He had abandoned this and started approaching the quarian machinist.

"Insults will get you no where krogan, leave me alone." She prepared to move back to the elevator, but Wrex suddenly stopped, a grin creasing his features.

"Fiesty are we? Ha! You're just like all women! Looking for a fight they can't win! Intimidating me won't work kiddo, so why don't you quit? And use my name!" Wrex shouted, Tali hearing what she thought must have been comedy in his voice.  _Maybe he's not as glum as I thought he was._

"You didn't use mine, you called me a worm. I don't take threats easily." Tali's training immediately kicked in, with Kal's training on how to negoitate with krogan sparking into life. She remembered his words easily.

_"Now comes the krogan. You probably won't see many of them where you're going ma'am, but its a good idea to make sure you don't seem weak. Show them your strength, intimidate them and put on a show of force. Krogan like strength, they love honor. If they see you as being strong, fierce and resourceful, they'll see you as someone to be respected and leave you alone. Now don't question me on this, cause I've dealt enough with the bosh'tets to know what they're like."_

Tali focused her best glare on the krogan, even though he couldn't see it, and she tried to look as strong as possible, but she felt her legs on the verge of shaking.  _He decides I'm weak and I become varren meat. That shotgun will blow me into a pulp._ After what seemed like a century, the krogan burst out into laughter.

"I like this one! I barely know you and I already like you! You have spunk kiddo! Say what, you seem like the shotgun kind, why don't I make you a warrior with some training?" Wrex's tone seemed playful and serious at the same time.  _Is this krogan a new breed or something? Or has he spent too much time around humans?_ She slowly nodded and watched as Wrex unhatched his solokov. Waiting for the shot to impact, she simply felt it drop into her arms.

"Try it on the turian." Wrex motioned his head towards Garrus, who, oblivious to the events happening behind him, continued working on his terminal. Tali widened her eyes at the idea.

"You want me to kill Garrus? But he's on the same side!" Tali whispered to the krogan, who shook his head. Before he could explain though, Garrus' voice popped up from infront of them.

"You do realize I can hear you two right? We turians have hearing like shatha." They watched as Garrus approached them, a grin planted firmly on his mandibles. Tali rolled her eyes while Wrex grumbled and took his shotgun from Tali's arms, motioning for her to follow him down the cargo bay. Surprisingly, Garrus tagged along.

"A krogan giving a quarian combat training? I have to see this." Garrus said from behind her back, but she ignored the turian and just followed Wrex until they were at the end of the bay, just at the Mako's front. Wrex once again thrusted his solokov into the quarian's arms and pointed towards a smudge of paint on the door.

"Shoot it." Wrex ordered.

"That's a piece of paint Wrex. That's a shotgun, not a marksman rifle." Garrus stated a matter-of-factly. She snorted, but then realized, as a sniping professional, Garrus of all people would be an expert in that sector and held her mouth against any retorts.

"You think I don't realize that stupid turian? I'm telling her to shoot it! I want to know how good her aim is! Now shoot the damn thing!" Tali nodded and carefully aimed the heavy shotgun at the piece of paint, angling it perfectly.  _Ancestors bless you Kal, I'm about to impress a krogan._ With a wide smile on her face, she squeezed the trigger and felt the hot metal slug exit the barrel and hit the paint dead center, leaving a large dent in the door.

"Hey! That's Alliance property, you aliens can't just go around shooting it up!" Tali turned to see Chief Williams looking at them as if they had killed her family, her glare full of venom as it looked over them. Wrex simply huffed.

"Stop your whining human, its a barely noticable dent. I heard your a soldier, I don't think so though." Wrex immediately approached Ashley attempting to kick her, but the marine swiftly dodged it and punched Wrex square across the face. It was now that Garrus moved in and lunged a punch, but Ashley simply grabbed it. Without hesitation, Garrus kneed her in the chest and then threw her over his back, allowing him to move ontop of her.

"Get off me dino! GET OFF ME!" Garrus did as asked, and got up, offering a three-fingered talon to help her up, but found it arrogantly ignored out of pride and the female got back up and returned to her posting. Garrus looked smug as he muttered, "Hey, I can't help being turian. War runs in my blood." Before Tali could return to her training, the pilot's voice rang out.

"Attention, ladies and gentlemen! Commander Lancelot has called for a knights of the round table in the debriefing room, immediately! I repeat, immediately! We are a day out from Knossos, Joker out." Tali looked confused at the comm, while Garrus and Wrex mirrored her expression. They turned to ask Ashley, as it seemed to be a human thing, but she was already gone, elevator door closing behind her.

"I guess we're waiting. Although I can't wait to find out what the commander has planned for us. Lancelot? Knights of the round table?" Tali asked, causing Wrex and Garrus to laugh.  _A krogan and turian laughing at the same thing? I did not just hear that._ As if reading her thoughts, Garrus cleared his throat and stopped laughing, with Wrex giving off a exaggerated grunt as he brushed past Garrus towards the elevator, while Garrus simply followed behind him, followed by the spunky quarian.

_A stuttery quarian, a comedic krogan and a friendly turian. Now I've seen everything._

...

"But you hadn't had you? You hadn't seen everything!" Jason shouting, barely keeping in his amusement as everyone laughed. Tali laughed at the memories as well, finding them emotionally crippling but funny at the same time.

"I soon regretted thinking that." Tali stated, before continuing her story.

**{Loading...}**

_June 16, 2183_

_1750 hours._

_Debriefing Room, Normandy-Class Stealth Frigate SSV Normandy SR-1, in FTL inbound for Artemis Tau Cluster._

_Eden Prime War._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, Battlemaster Urdnot Wrex, Marksman Garrus Vakarian, Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya._

The room was relatively silent except for the sounds of Kaidan and Ashley chatting and Marcus sat inbetween them listening in. He sat on the left side of the room in the second last chair, while Kaidan sat to his left and Ashley to his right. They chatted back and forth about casual things and inbetween it all, about the upcoming mission. Marcus simply listened in, not contributing to the growing conversation.

It wasn't long before the rest of the team began moving inside, taking positions on the other side. Wrex sat awkwardly in the chair closest to the door, while Tali sat on the one closest to the viewscreen while Garrus sat next to her. Marcus immediately stood up and approached the center of the room, causing all conversation in the room to cease as eyes laid on him.

"As you all know, we are heading to the Knossos system to pick up someone who could be valuable in tracking down Saren. The information we have is sketchy at best, but its confirmed that the asari we are looking for, Liara T'Soni, is the daughter of Saren's second-in-command, Matriarch Benezia. We believe the geth are moving in to either protect her...or capture her. Either, she may know something about Saren's whereabouts and operations."

"Whoever she is commander, I doubt she can be trusted. Benezia has probably got her on a leash." Ashley stated coldly, Kaidan giving her a glare while Marcus simply shrugged her accusation off, continuing, "That's something we can't confirm until we get her onboard. Our mission is to land on Therum and extract her quickly before the geth get to her. If they do, then we'll kill them before they can leave."

"Destroy them. We destroy them. Geth aren't alive, so they can't be killed." Tali pointed, Marcus conceding to her point with a nod before turning back to the group.

"I'm going in with a full team, which means all of you are coming with me. We'll drop down in the Mako and clear up any ground forces first. We can't risk dropping directly inside the mission zone, so we'll be dropping two klicks north of it and proceed from there. We'll mop them up and then get T'Soni out of there. By no means are we to kill her until she can be confirmed as hostile. If she isn't, we'll extract her to the Normandy and see what she knows. I want this to be quick and clean. This'll be our first real deployment together so I hope you're  _all_ ready to accept my command."

Everyone nodded, with Ashley laying back in her seat while everyone else entered talk about the mission.

"Any questions?" Marcus asked, stirring everyone from their second round of conversations. Noone raised their hands until Wrex seemingly yelled out.

"Do we know what kind if enemy we are facing?" Marcus nodded, but turned to Tali for her to explain. She didn't seem to notice until he said her name, causing her to look at him. "Yes?" she asked, and he immediately explained Wrex's question. Without even answering Marcus, she turned to Wrex and began her explanation.

"They're geth. They spare no mercy, take no pain and don't understand emotion. They do not care about their fellow platforms, they do not care about anything except killing you. They slaughtered my people in droves during the morning war and never got tired. They are logical, emotionless, cold machines. They do not hesitate in pulling the trigger. They do not need rest, and they work with cold effiency no organic can match. They are the ultimate killing machine Wrex, and some of them can easily match the strength of a krogan. So Wrex, you ask what enemy we face? We face an enemy unlike anything you've faced before."

"Well said Tali. I fought those things on Eden Prime, and as Tali said, they're unrelenting. Don't underestimate them whatever you do. That goes for all of you. With the Mako they should be easy, but once we go on foot, keep your eyes peeled and guard up. I'd rather keep you guys alive. I've already lost one under my command lest then a few days ago, I refuse to lose anymore." Marcus looked at the ground as he finished, but slowly shook away his melancholy and turned back to the group.

"Any more questions?" He asked, but this time noone answered. "Very well. Meet me in the cargo hold at 1200 hours tomorrow anyone has further questions, I'll be in my quarters. Crew dismissed." Everyone nodded and left, Kaidan and Ashley stopping to salute him before leaving. Marcus immediately followed behind them, stepping down the right stairs and towards his cabin.

Once inside he sat behind his desk and began working out how to take care of T'Soni.  _I don't want to kill her, but if she leaves me no choice..._ But Marcus had always found another way, another option to solve problems. But he wasn't perfect either, and there would come a time where he'd finally have to admit defeat.

After attempting multiple ways of dealing with the asari, he finally gave up and retreated to his bed, falling face first into its soft blankets. It wasn't long before he found himself drifting to sleep, and even less when he woke up again, a single knock on the door.  _Could use the bell._ "Enter" he said half-sleepily, dragging himself from the covers and moving to sit on the edge of the mattress.

The door slid open to reveal Ashley, who quickly entered his cabin and stood at attention as the door closed behind her. "Chief Williams sir, requesting permission to speak my mind sir." Ashley stated formally, her stare at the wall unwavering as she waited for her commander to put her at ease. All she got was a chuckle, and she forced herself to look at the source which was, surprisingly, Shepard himself.

"Let's get some things straight. One, refer to yourself as Williams or Ashley, don't pull rank on me. Two, stop with 'sir', its just Shepard to everyone. Three, don't ever ask permission to speak. Just do it, I'm not superior to you and I sure as hell am not going to abuse my authority. That's an order. Now, speak your mind." Marcus simply stood up from his bed and sat on his desk, arms crossed as he looked across the room at the gunnery chief.

"Um...okay sir...I mean Shepard." Marcus motioned for her to take a seat, but she insisted on standing and spoke, "I have concerns about the alien crew." She noticed Marcus roll his eyes at her, which made her angry without a doubt.  _Let's me speak and then treats my opinion like shit?_

"I've been over this with Pressly already..." Marcus didn't get to finish as Ashley immediately cut back in.

"Aliens though! You're letting a turian, the bastards who murdered good soldiers on Shanxi, have access to our weapons! You're letting a krogan onboard the ship and you're letting a quarian, a beggar and a thief, gain access to engineering! What's next, we welcome T'Soni onboard and tell her she can give us medical examinations!?"

"STAND DOWN AND SIT DOWN!" Marcus boomed, causing Ashley to jump almost a full meter. Gone was the kind hearted commander she had come to get to know and standing before her was a soldier-to-the-bone, heart of a drill instructor, commander who had earned his way through the ranks. She had almost forgotten that he hadn't become a commander by flirting with his superiors; he had killed, destroyed and impressed his way through the command chain.

Ashley did as she was told, sitting down on a seat nearby. Marcus leapt off the desk and leaned down near her, his voice ice cold, sending chills down her spine. "You listen to me carefully Williams, cause I won't repeat myself. Tali is not a thief, she is the kindest person I've ever met. Wrex may seem brutish, but he is nicer than even he is letting in on. And Garrus cannot be blamed for a war that happened when he was just a child! Thirty years ago! I don't care what you say, this whole first contact war business is personal! What the hell happened to you during the war that made you hate turians so much!?"

Ashley simply gulped down hard and opened her mouth to speak, but she found nothing to say. Finally, she compiled her words and spoke, "My grandfather...his name was General Williams...he served on Shanxi during the war. He was the one who surrendered to the turians and ended the war. The first human to surrender to an alien force, he could never live it down, he was basically disgraced. War ran in the Williams' blood, and he had been the first to surrender to aliens! He was...kicked out of the military with 'honorable' discharge and our entire family...blacklisted."

"What do you mean 'blacklisted'?" Marcus asked, his cold tone dying down and becoming gradually softer as he spoke, his poisonous expression becoming kinder and more empathetic.

"They...basically labelled us as 'to be watched over'. Long story short we...a soldier under the family name of 'Williams' couldn't ever raise above the rank of Warrant Officer and always get the crappy assignments. That's why I'm still a Gunnery Chief and probably will be for as long as I serve. That's why I was assigned to Eden Prime. But I don't care, I'm an Alliance soldier, I have to serve, its part of our family. I quit now and I dishonor the family name as much as my grandfather did."

"That's not fair. You shouldn't be blacklisted for something that was morally correct. If your grandfather hadn't surrendered, Garrus would be have a knife at my throat and Tali and Wrex wouldn't be here. Just...talk to them, get to know them. I have, and they're friendlier than they look. Just give them a chance. Try out Tali first, I think you'll like her. You never know, you might become best friends." Marcus said, winking at the gunnery chief.

Ashley laughed, "I don't know about best friends Shepard, but I'll give it a try. And...I'm sorry for my outburst, it wasn't in my place to question -" She didn't get to finish as Marcus raised a hand and stopped her.

"Don't talk about 'your place.' We're all equals here Ashley, I just got irritated by the amount of racism on this ship. I've always hated racism and I can't stand it. I hope you understand." Ashley nodded, snapping a salute before turning to leave. Just as the door opened and Marcus was returning to his bed, Ashley stopped and turned.

"Shepard?" She asked.

"Yeah?" Marcus answered.

"Thank you for sorting me out. I really needed that." She said, smiling warmly.

"Anytime time...can I call you Ash?" He asked, smiling back.

"Sorry sir...I reserve that for boyfriends only." Ashley said, winking.  _Maybe he's interested?_

"Ashley it is then." Marcus stated, losing his smile.

"Oh?" Ashley answered, slightly disappointed.

"Sorry Ashley, you're just not my type, that's all. No offense intended. Besides...the last time I let love get in the way of duty...I paid dearly for it. Romance has no place on the battlefield." Marcus seemed melancholic right now, like a destroyed wreck. He suddenly shook his head and continued towards his bed.

"Goodnight, Williams." The door slid shut and Ashley was left staring at the closed door.

 _Paid dearly for it? Maybe he's right. Romance really doesn't have a place on the battlefield._ Without a second thought, Ashley retreated to her sleeping pod, her shift now over. It was time to get some sleep before Therum the next morning.

**{Loading...Rewind}**

_June 16, 2183_

_1746 hours._

_8 Klicks South of Nova Yekaterinburg, Prothean Dig Site, Therum._

_Eden Prime War, Battle of Therum._

_Prothean Researcher Liara T'Soni_

"No no no! Its too soon Nishara!" Liara cried out, her hands dancing over the terminal as she desperately tried to recover as much information as she could. All this knowledge, so much learned about the Protheans...she couldn't lose it to army of geth! What were geth doing on Therum anyway? What made even less sense, what were they doing outside of the Veil at all? None of it made sense. But she didn't care. She needed this information.

After a period of sporadic gunfire, Nishara responded, "Stop stalling! We have to leave now before these geth overwhelm our position!" the gunfire from Nishara's assault rifle continued, her fellow asari desperately trying to hold off the machine horde, but her efforts were dwindling and she would soon tire. But geth didn't tire, and long after she was exhausted, they would keep pushing and would eventually slaughter her and the scientist she swore to protect.

Liara simply ignored Nishara's words as she continued to type into her terminal, making sure all the data was properly streamed onto the prepared OSD.  _Just a few more files!_ She watched as the final upload began, and let a cry of victory when the terminal beeped, announcing it as finished and she yanked out the OSD.

"Miss T'Soni! We have to leave n-" Nishara's voice was suddenly cut off as a final bout of fire was heard, and that to went silent. Liara frowned as she hid the OSD in her pocket and she turned to her right to see what was wrong. She immediately found it when Nishara's body went flying into the ruin, her neck twisted at an odd angle. By the look of her eyes unfocusedness, she was dead. Nishara's body simply collapsed into the area below as a large, towering krogan marched onto the platform, two crimson red geth platforms holding odd looking rocket launchers and two milky white platforms with pulse rifles flanking his rear.

"There she is! Saren wants her alive!" The krogan roared, charging forward as the geth acknowledged his command, and charged straight for the asari. But they had made a fatal mistake, one that should have been obvious from the get go; she was an asari. She flared in biotic energy as she picked up one of the rocket wielding geth and threw it into the battlemaster, 2 tonnes of solid geth slamming into the krogan and causing him to collapse onto the ground. The geth cared little, and continued to chase the asari as she leapt off the platform and onto the rocky cavern floor below.

She landed with a thud, letting out a grunt as she looked up to see if her pursuers were keeping up. Big mistake. She turned just in time to see the two geth slam down next to her, pieces of rock and dirt shooting up in all directions as the landing didn't even slow them down. Without thinking, she let out a singularity that caught the second rocket trooper and its white trooper companion, sending them hurling in the air. Without hesitation, she began running towards the ruins.  _I know about Prothean tech more than anyone. Maybe if I can trigger a security mechanism...well, the geth will get a nasty surprise._

She continued running as she heard the mechanical clicking of more geth behind her, a louder and more demanding announcing the approach a geth juggernaut. She watched as two bright orange fireballs raced past her, slamming into the ruins nearby, barely making a dent.

"Capture her you stupid machines, don't kill her!" The krogan roared once again, but Liara didn't stop to get a good look at him. She was completely unarmed out without Nishara to assist her, she had no chance against a krogan warrior leading an army of geth. She would be dead before she could even fire a shot. It wasn't long before she finally reached the ruins and began playing with the elevator controls, desperately trying to gain control of them. But she did, and just in the nick of time as the krogan and his geth arrived as the elevator began its rapid ascent.

She didn't get very far however as the elevator stopped on the floor just above the one she escaped, and she saw geth drones rapidly approaching.  _Goddess, what do I do?_ Then she noticed the doorways.  _Liara, how could you miss that! Those a shield doors! Forcefields! The geth will never break through those!_ Making up for lost time, she raced forward, unleashing a tech grenade on the approaching recon drones, destroying two of them in the remotely activated blast.

Finally reaching the shield door control panel, she began reading through the numerous functions. Finding the one she wanted, she hit it, causing a bright blue barrier to immediately appear infront of her, shielding her from the hostile geth drones. Some drones smashed into the barrier upon activation and exploded, while most stopped just in time and looked at her through those white optics, watching her every move.

Liara smiled at her victory and prepared a second distress call, fearing the first one may not have made it. This time she sent it to Therum's capital city, Nova Yekaterinburg, hoping upon anything that they would send at least a turian marine detachment to help her. Yet again, the turians would have no idea how to fight geth.  _Oh what are you going to do Liara? Contact the Migrant Fleet and ask them nicely to bombard the place? Not only would the Council throw a tantrum at 'trespassing council property' but I don't think I'd be 'saved' if I ended up caught in the bombardment. Besides...what do the quarians owe to some random asari researcher? I was part of the species that condemned them._

Before she could continue her musings, she immediately felt like her arms were being tugged by unknown strings. A look of shock on her face, she was lifted from the ground and her arms and legs spread wide before a glowing sphere of energy surrounded her, encasing her in a impenetrable barrier of energy. It was handy, but there was one unintended side effect; she was trapped with noway of getting out. Then she heard the prothean voice speak, but she couldn't make out the words as it was in ancient prothean.

 _When I activated the barrier, I must have triggered an automated defense system. They must have confused me as a trespasser! But if that's happening, then what about..._ She never finished the thought as she watched the geth drones explode.

"What the hell is happening! What has the asari bitch done!" She smiled smugly as she watched what looked like prothean defense turrets deploy and begin unleashing pulsing beams of energy upon the unprepared geth forces, some getting vaporized while others exploded from the sheer heat of the beams.

_I can't get out, but those turrets will surely keep them out._

All she had to do now was wait for her rescue. Time would only tell if her distress call was heeded.

**"So this is how you met Liara T'Soni? First Shepard saves Ashley, then saves Tali and now he saves this asari? Does he have a thing for saving women?"**

**\- Carter Dielheart**

**"I don't know, you'd have to ask him yourself." (chuckles)**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001**

**"Jokes, laughter and a stuttering quarian?"**

**\- Carter Dielheart**

**"That's what Joker dubbed that meeting. He preferred to think that first meeting was simply jokes, laughter and a quarian who couldn't even compose her own words. I don't know if the man had a crystal ball to show for it, but even before anyone else, it was Joker who figured out Tali had a thing for our righteous commander."**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001**

**"So what happened next?"**

**\- Carter Dielheart**

**"You've asked your questions, now I get to ask one in return. Where the hell is Tali and Garrus?"**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001**

**"At some museum on Earth. They're teaching the kids there about Shepard. We've got agents keeping tabs on them."**

**\- Carter Dielheart**

**"Why? Why is learning about Shepard so important to you?"**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001**

**"You've asked your question, so now its my turn again. What happened next?"**

**\- Carter Dielheart**

**"She was like...yeah...Garrus? How's it going?"**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001**

**"Oh fuck. We're losing him again. Induce the anesthetic. We'll start again tomorrow."**

**\- Carter Dielheart.**

_**Author's Notes:** _

_**I have a few things to ask and some mass effect news you guys might be interested in.** _

_**Marcus Shepard is a Zionist Jew. Are you guys okay with this? I'm trying to put as much of myself into Shepard as possible, as it is MY Shepard, but I'm curious as to what you think of this. Do you like it? Do you hate the very idea of it? Obviously its too far into the story to really change now, but I'm just curious to what you think. Post in your review.** _

_**Now some Mass Effect news. I don't know whether its a rumor, or its actually confirmed, but apparently its been announced that Bioware are 'currently developing two hundred and sixty seperate pieces of DLC that will suit everyone's specified tastes.' What are your thoughts on this? From my standpoint, I can smell a 'Extended Cut Pt2' on the horizon and I think these DLC's might be tailored to 'romance closure.' If so, I'm stoked for a conclusion to the Tali romance (which is by far one of the most unrewarding romances in ME3, aside from the evacuation, goodbye and memorial scenes in extended cut). I hope they're rectifying that and with some hope, will bring back the ability to recruit all ME2 squadmates, produce better romance scenes (and romance archs in general) and finally get rid of that fucking stockphoto (Is it THAT hard to model Tali's face after Liz/Ash Sroka?)** _

_**More news also announces that Wrex is coming back to voice act for the new DLC, along with Seth Green who played Joker, so that sounds pretty interesting.** _

_**Now for the BAD news. Mass Effect 4 details below.** _

_**Bioware has made an official statement saying, 'Calling it Mass Effect 4 would make it sound like we are continuing on from Mass Effect 3. Which is not at all what we're doing.' So that confirms that it WON'T be based after the events of ME3. This bit saddens me the most, and I think you'll see why. They go on to say...** _

_**'It won't be based before the series either, you won't see any orginal characters and yadayadayada.'** _

_**NO ORIGINAL CHARACTERS!?** _

_**No...No...it can't be! I think this 'Planet of the Apes' reference suits the situation well:** _

_**"They blew it up! THEY BLEW IT ALL UP! DAMN YOU! YOU BLEW IT ALL UP!"** _

_**No more Tali love? No more Garrus batman awesomeness? No more of Joker's sarcastic remarks and EDI's sad attempts at humor? No...no more Ken or Gabby? No more of Javik's trolling? No more...I'm sorry, I can't do this. Bioware...what the fuck have you done. I hoped for at least a cameo, but we don't even get that? FUCK!** _

_**Shaking off the terrible news, Mass Effect 4 (information is not confirmed) will be named 'Mass Effect: Ion.'** _

_**Thanks for reading, I think I shall return to Mass Effect 3 How It Could Have Happened Now. I'm...I need time to...absorb this information...its...too much.** _


	10. Welcome to Liara's World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Benezia's daughter comes under siege from Saren's forces. Shepard and the crew are not far behind.

**ENIGMA**

**CHAPTER EIGHT:**

**WELCOME TO LIARA'S WORLD**

_June 17, 2183_

_1201 hours, Therum Time._

_10 Klicks South of Nova Yekaterinburg, Unexplored Sector, Therum._

_Eden Prime War, Battle of Therum._

_Mission Parameters: Liara T'Soni is located somewhere on Therum. She may have a link to Saren and we think that he may be attempting to recruit her. Her family bond to her mother, Matriarch Benezia, Saren's top commander, might be a valuable asset in the war against the geth. Locate the asari researcher and capture her alive for interrogation._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, Battlemaster Urdnot Wrex, Marksman Garrus Vakarian, Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya._

It hadn't taken long for Marcus to get into his gear; first was his chestplate, followed by his shinguards, leggings, arms, shoulder pads and finally the helmet. He strapped all his weapons on, but leaving the Armageddon loosely in his grip as he checked that his med-gel inhibitors were in working order, his kinetic barriers active and his armor was sealed tight. He eyed his armageddon shotgun for the last time, smiling. It was the latest model; the X.  _This belongs to a certain engineer now. She'll need it more than I do._

When he was finally finished, he exited the cabin at a brisk pace and steadily approached the elevator, nodding at Pressly and Chakwas as they ate in the mess hall and entering the elevator, watching the door slide closed and waiting for the elevator to arrive below. When the door finally slid open, he grinned.

Ashley looked like she was attempting small talk with Tali, but didn't look like she was succeeding, as both weren't even listening to each other as they watched Garrus and Wrex exchange venomous glances as they fought over which weapon was better; sniper rifle or shotgun. Kaidan stood leaning on the Mako, watching the confrontation with a grin similiar to Marcus'.

Kaidan immediately looked at the doorway and was followed by Ashley, who just wanted an excuse to end her awkward conversation with Tali. They stood to attention and saluted, followed by Tali who comically tried to imitate the gesture, but her three fingered hand just made it incredibly awkward looking. Wrex and Garrus didn't even notice; that or they did and ignored him, and both kept arguing. It was now that he had to intervene.

Marching forward, he moved infront of the duo, everyone looking wide eyed at their crazy commander. Giving a mock angry look for measure, he looked at both of them constantly, "Enough! If you two can't cooperate one of you can stay on the ship! Am I clear?" Garrus and Wrex immediately backed off, but nodded, muttering their responses, "Yes...sir."

"I can't hear you! That or I'm growing deaf!" Marcus shouted, prompting them to repeat themselves; albeit louder.

"Yes sir!" They practically shouted, and Marcus nodded, grinning.  _I sound like my old drill instructor already. And my dad._ He motioned for the team to follow him to the Mako. Once they arrived at the speedy tank, he turned around and threw his armageddon to Tali, the quarian barely just catching it in her small hands.

"That's yours to keep. Take good care of it; I used that during the invasion of Elysium. And don't even think of rejecting the offer; not only am I getting a new one, but you need one." He smiled warmly at the quarian, who nodded her thanks; or at least he thought she did as her face was hidden behind a mask, and then attached the shotgun to the back of her waist, turning back to face her commander, her eyes seemingly scanning him.

He ignored the gesture, and slammed the surface of the Mako tank.

"This here is 50 tons of speedy, HE spewin, dee-vine intervention! It has a high-powered, 112 inch main cannon followed by a powerful rapidfire HMG! Its fast, has tires that can grip to any surface known and can hold up to nine operators. This is the M-35 All-Terrian Heavy Vehicle. I like to call the Mako." Marcus finished, still pacing up and down the vehicle's length until he stopped next to Wrex, grinning.

"Well commander, I think you'll finally get your chance to show us your  _excellent_ driving skills." Ashley finished as Kaidan chuckled lightly. Garrus let a grin crease his mandibles, while Tali's features were unreadable and Wrex just looked...well...like Wrex. Marcus chuckled.

"Only if you're willing to go. Now go on...everyone get inside. Tali, come here." Everyone did as said, Wrex barely fitting through the hatch. It wasn't long before everyone was inside and buckling up, except Tali, who steadily and nervously approached her commander. Before she could say anything, he immediately dropped his shotgun into her hands, and smiled as she studied the weapon, her hands gliding over it and checking every nook and cranny like a child.  _There's alot of things that are cute, but this? That's adorable. Would be better if it wasn't a shotgun though._

"I...I can't...I can't accept this! This is-" Tali began, but Marcus immediately rose his hand once more to silence her.

"I've been this with you before haven't I?" Marcus began, but no frustration was held in his voice.

"Yes, but...this is YOUR weapon. YOUR shotgun. I can't just take it away from you!" Tali almost shouted, but she immediately calmed herself down before she got any louder at fear of her commander rediculing her.

"Tali, I've got an assault rifle, pistol, sniper rifle, biotics and heavy combat armor. Tell me again why you're worried?" Marcus joked, causing Tali to giggle a little at her own foolishness.  _Its one shotgun compared to the vast array of weaponry he holds. Besides, why am I so worried?_ Tali nodded but apparently Marcus wasn't finished.

"And you can keep it. I'm getting a new shotgun soon so I thought you could have my old one. Just be careful with it; it holds alot of memories. And I want you with me, engineering compartment. I need your tech abilities in there so you can help balance the shields and divert power. Think you can handle that? Or was Adams being sarcastic when he said you were the best engineer he's ever met?" Marcus finished jokingly.

"He-He said that? a-a-about me?" Tali asked, geniunely flattered.  _Back on the Rayya I'd just be called slightly smarter than the rest. But my boss is saying that I'm a better engineer than him? For that to happen on the fleet, I'd have to disable the entire geth fleet!_

"Sure did. I can't wait to see you in action. I've also heard Wrex has been giving you some shotgun training. If you want, I can teach you hand-to-hand later." Tali felt butterflies appear in her stomach.  _Calm down. Its just martial arts training._ "I'd...appreciate that."  _First he asks me to sit NEXT to HIM, and now he wants to spar with me? Keelah...how am I going to drag myself out of this one?_ Without a second glance, Tali holstered her new armageddon shotgun on her waist, testing the weight, before stepping into the Mako, closely followed by Marcus.

The vehicle was cramped, but not cramped on the level of World War II tanks. There was a back and forward compartment; the back compartment housed numerous seats and equipment while the forward compartment had three seats; gun control, shields and power and of course, driver. Marcus smiled as he found Garrus already sitting to operate the turret, while Tali followed him. He immediately found himself plopping down into the driver's seat, attaching the safety harness, while he motioned for Tali to sit in the engineering seat. She hesitated for a few seconds, before sitting.

"Argh...I can't get this thing on. Neither can Wrex." Garrus' voice came through the compartment and Marcus turned to see what all the fuss was about. He immediately found it; the safety harness. The turian was too big for it and he looked like he was clawing at it. Wrex was WAY too big for the harness, and his strength had obviously gotten the better of him as the harness lay completely snapped in the krogan's large grip. He chuckled.

"Well...this vehicle was built for human passengers. Its an Alliance-manufactured vehicle afterall. You'll just have to get used to it. But I'm sure with your thick skeletal head and Wrex's manly strength you'll both be fine."

Garrus simply snorted while Wrex rolled his eyes, sinking back in his seat, inspecting his Solokov. Ashley sat wearily next to the krogan; gazing up at her towering neighbour every minute. Kaidan sat across from her, seemingly reading something on his omnitool. Tali was getting herself acquianted with the numerous systems, but seemed to be having trouble. She eventually called out in frustration.

"Bosh'tet! All of this is in human! I can't understand any of it!" Tali then noticed Marcus' raised brow and put her visor in her palm, shaking her head. "Sorry...I just can't understand your language and its impairing my ability to execute my job." Marcus nodded, moving forward towards the console, his head almost resting in her lap. She immediately felt her face flush in total red, quietly thanking the ancestors again for her mask. Marcus didn't notice her legs tense up as he finally finished his adjustments, and leaned back into his seat.

"There. I've managed to translate it into khelish. Oh, and our language is called 'english', although that's not our only language. I'll explain the rest later if you want. Right now, we've got an asari researcher who's not yet friend or foe to kill or rescue. Either way helps my pay grade." Everyone in the cabin chuckled, and Marcus left the grin on his face as he prepped the numerous systems. Joker took this moment to shout into the comm.

"Ladies, gentlemen and non-humans, we are arriving at Fucked-Up Central. Next stop, Asari-Researcher-Who-Needs-Her-Ass-Saved." Noone laughed at the pilot, simply staring at the comm. A growl of frustration was heard followed by Joker's voice again.

"Well I thought it was funny! Okay Commander Killjoy, how 'bout actually leaving? Or are you planning for Santa Claus to save T'Soni or whatever the hell her fancy name is?" This time some people managed to smile, but mostly the humans of the group, as noone under stood who Santa Claus was.

"Santa Claws? That sounds...horrible." Tali asked, Garrus nodded his agreement, while Wrex snickered.

"Its Santa Claus. As in C-L-A-U-S. I'll explain this later. I should seriously run a school for this shit. Right now, let's all make Joker a happy man, and get the hell off his ship before he starts shitting bricks." This time, everyone looked directly at Marcus, all confused except, once again, the humans of the group. Marcus sighed heavily.

"Definitely need to talk later...anyway, let's get moving. Pressly ship's all yours, take care of her. This goes smoothly and we'll be back soon." Marcus stated, waiting on his navigator, and XO's, response.

"In the Alliance, nothing goes smoothly. Good hunting, Pressly out." With that Marcus began tapping at multiple controls.

"Joker, open the cargo hold doors. Tali, open the shutters. We can't drive if we can't see." Tali nodded and flicked the button for the Cargo Hold Doors, which was incorrectly translated into Khelish as  _yddma'tolish yer_ which in english would mean  _Doors Hold Cargo._ How odd this 'english' was. All thought of weird languages was tossed aside as her eyes opened to see the lava world of Therum. Fiery volcanoes thrived in the distance, while red hot streaks of lava and fire streamed the planet's surface.

That wasn't what scared her. It was how far away from it she was. Turning slowly downwards, she looked at the alitude bar and almost choked on her own tongue.

_6000 feet._

"I guess the Normandy will drop us off?" Tali asked, hoping upon all the ancestors that she was right and Marcus was doing this for effect. She suddenly melted into her chair when his reply came.

"Nuh. We're going in...now!" Without warning, Marcus slammed the acellerator and the Mako rocketed out of the cargo hold and began its rapid descent into Therum's atmosphere. Tali immediately felt weightless at the sudden accelleration.

"KKKKKKKKEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLL LLAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed, but it was barely heard over Marcus' enthusiastic shouting. Kaidan made some kind of comment about 'sounds like a cowboy', whatever that was, but she ignored it for the safety of her legs, her visor pressing into her thighs as he held on for dear life.

"You might not want to do that Tali. We'll be hitting the ground in ten seconds." Tali immediately acknowledged his logic and sat up, her three-fingered hands gripping the seat in fear. Marcus chuckled as he looked at her.

"Don't you just love this!?" Marcus shouted over the sound of his own shouting.

"NOOOOOTTTTTTT AT ALL! THE SOONER WE HIT THE GROUND-" Tali had realized just how soon she would hit the ground. She felt the Mako slam into ground as the impact jarred every bone in her body, making her bones feel like vibrating toothbrushes. Luckily the safety harness was tight enough to keep her mask from slamming into the console, and she looked around to the Mako come to a stop 10 meters from where they landed. Marcus looked unfazed, while Wrex was rubbing his crest. Garrus had turned around and hugged his chair like a long lost lover, before turning back around in embarrasment.

"Never...make me...come on this...vehicle...again." Tali said inbetween breaths, Marcus chuckling lightly as he also checked the cabin.

"Trust me girl, you get used to it. Takes time, but you get used to it." Tali was surprised to hear Chief Williams voice when the sentence hit her ears. Ashley had tried to talk with the quarian, but it had been short and incredibly awkward, ending with their commander's appearence on the deck. She had shown less racism towards her then before, but it wasn't considerable.

"Okay. That landing will definitely have attracted some , get working on those shields. Garrus, I'll before evasive motions while you pick off any enemy targets. Keep an eye out for them, these guys are perfect ambushers." Marcus ordered, his orders met only by a single response by his turian companion.

"Ambushers? Shepard, they're flashlights. Their heads practically radiate 'I'm right here' all over the place." Marcus conceded to the turians point, but he wasn't willing to let his guard down just in case. "Point. Just keep an eye out just in case. Only Tali knows what these synthetic bastards are made of."

With that, Marcus hit the acellerator and the Mako drove forward.

Forward into Liara's World.

**{Loading...}**

_June 17, 2183_

_1218 hours, Therum Time._

_8 Klicks South of Nova Yekaterinburg, Prothean Dig Site, Therum._

_Eden Prime War, Battle of Therum._

_Mission Parameters: Benezia's daughter will make a valuable servant for our coming army. Find her and capture her so she may be subjected to her eventual indoctrination. She will be one of many who survive the coming harvest._

_Prothean Researcher Liara T'Soni, Battlemaster Gatatog Verx._

The Battlemaster eyed the now trapped asari, his glare piercing the blue barrier seperating him from the bitch. The asari didn't even look him in the eyes, simply looking smugly at the numerous defense turrets that unleashed beams of light upon his machine troops. Most of the geth forces he brought with him had the brains...or processors...to actually take cover from the bringers of death. The Battlemaster hadn't been spotted by the turrets, and therefore didn't worry about them, just letting his glare linger on the asari.

_All this trouble for HER. Why the hell does Saren want this bitch so badly?_

**YOU WILL DO WHAT'S NEEDED OF YOU. THOSE WHO SERVE ARE REWARDED WITH SALVATION FROM THE COMING FIRE.**

The krogan battlemaster immediately felt his head throb with the introduction of the powerful voice in his head, trying to clear his head by shaking it.  _Whatever that thing is, it wants this bitch, and I must please it. So it'll be quiet._ Spitting into the soil nearby, he equipped his shotgun and lit up in biotics as he rose a barrier between himself and the turrets, rushing towards the area just below them. The turrets immediately snapped towards him, but before they could fire hot beams at him, he ducked under them, leaving the turrets useless.

The asari's eyes now fell to the krogan, but her gaze didn't linger. It didn't show fear, signs she was intimidated, or even the slighest sign of forfeit. She just sat hovering, smiling.

"What the hell are you smiling about you asari bitch? Saren may want you alive, but I think he won't miss a few limbs."

**THE ASARI WILL SERVE ITS PURPOSE AS MUCH AS YOU WILL. ANY HARM TO IT WILL BE MET BY YOUR DISEMBOWELMENT. YOU WILL OBEY. YOU WILL SERVE.**

_Oh how much I wish you'd fuck off and the fuck out of my MIND!_

The krogan screamed in pain as the disembodied voice sent beacons of pain througout his body; all coming from nowhere, but hitting him like the force of being crushed by a 500 ton tank. The krogan doubled over, but immediately recovered upon his decision to cooperate. The more he did, the less pain he felt.

He looked up at the asari and approached the barrier, the asari's gaze never leaving his. He finally came to a stop infront of her, his face creasing into a smile as he slammed a fist against the barrier, ignoring the reverbrations sent up his arm.

"Open the shield bitch and I'll make sure you live. Saren wants you alive, so that's enough that I won't kill you." The asair suddenly looked confused, shocked by the krogan's sudden change of tone.

"So first you want to rip my limps off now you want to take me prisoner? I'll never work for Saren! I hope the goddess sends you straight to  _alesi!_ " The asari shouted, angering her semi-captor, who slammed the shield again, turning back to look out upon his geth servants. Raising his shotgun, he pumped a shell straight into both turrets, the machines exploding in brilliant blue light as his gaze remet the asari's.

"You WILL work for Saren. Its envitable. His will cannot be rejected. He has a way of...taking control of you. Your mother fell for him and so did I. You will follow his methods. And we all be saved from the coming fire." Verx stated, waiting for the young asari's answer.

"I don't care. Saren is a tyrant, and I will not do what you say! I'll die first! B-B-Besides! You will never breach the shield!" The asari shouted semi-confidently, gaining a grunt of approval from the battlemaster.  _For a fleshie she sure is confident._ He simply smirked.

"We'll see." And with that, he retreated down the railing and began leading the remaining geth in a search effort to find away around the shield.

_If there's a way. We'll find it. And that asari will join our cause._

**{Loading...}**

_June 17, 2183_

_1223 hours, Therum Time._

_9.6 klicks South of Nova Yekaterinburg, Mining Sector, Therum._

_Eden Prime War, Battle of Therum._

_Mission Parameters: Liara T'Soni is located somewhere on Therum. She may have a link to Saren and we think that he may be attempting to recruit her. Her family bond to her mother, Matriarch Benezia, Saren's top commander, might be a valuable asset in the war against the geth. Locate the asari researcher and capture her alive for interrogation._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, Battlemaster Urdnot Wrex, Marksman Garrus Vakarian, Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya._

Marcus watched as the geth trooper was immediately crushed from the sudden added weight to its weight, the Mako bumping as it rolled over the now permanently inactive geth platform. Without stopping, Marcus kept performing donut maneveurs while Tali constantly fiddled with power, trying desperately to filter enough power from non-critical systems to power the shields. Garrus spun the turret around, and emptied a flood of high-velocity rounds into a geth rocket trooper, causing the platform to collapse onto the ground, its chasis riddled with bullet rounds.

"Shepard! Another one of those geth tanks! 12:00!" Marcus immediately nodded his acknowledged and turned to face the huge platform. Tank was right; the Geth 'Armature' as they had dubbed it, was a fairly big unit, resembling something like a spider. It had four large spindly legs, with a long neck like appendage extending out of its main body to show a 'head' or the main optics, where a hidden siege pulse cannon was hidden; a weapon that proved devastatingly effective at draining shields and melting through armor. To make matters worse, it had also had a HMG. It also wore a brownish like exterior. Its only disadvantage was mobility, which the Mako easily countered.

Unfortunately, Shepard was nowhere close to being a good driver. Some may have called him the 'drunken rhino', whatever a rhino was, Tali didn't know.

Without hesitation, Garrus hit the button to pump a heavy explosive round into the gun chamber and once loaded, fired the metal slug, the explosive ordnance impacting the front of the Armature and causing it to topple, the huge mech's front seemingly blowing apart as bits of metal chasing landed in all directions, and leaving the Armature clinically destroyed as the tank fell to the ground, its legs no longer able to hold the vehicle's dead weight.

Marcus immediately pulled the brakes, causing the vehicle to skid to a stop just as they hit the ledge that would send them hurling into the lava pit below. He slowly reversed the vehicle and pulled it to a stop once again, allowing everyone some breathing room while he scanned the area ahead.

"We're almost there people. One kilo and a half. We should get there in 10 mikes if we meet minimal resistance. Maximum resistance, we'll be looking at 60 mikes. Get some rest, we move in one mike." Marcus then pulled out his water canteen and look a drink from it, before capping the top again and reattaching it to the side of his belt. To his side he watched as Tali opened a section in her vocalizer and inserted a tube full of nutrient paste into her helmet, the grey substance sliding into her 'mouth' inside.

Once done watching Tali eat, which he could not help but find cute once again, he went to check on the others.  _There is something about that girl that keeps putting me in this trance. What in the world is it?_ He saw Ashley and Wrex who for once shared a mutual aggitation at not being involved in the surrounding combat. Kaidan and Garrus exchanged remarks, both grinning.  _Barely know each other and we're acting like we've known each other for years._

Seeing as everyone was enthralled in their conversations, he turned to Tali. He swore he saw her quickly turn her head from him and back to the window, but he shook it off as imagination. He then opened his mouth to speak, "So Tali...what do you think of this mission so far?" He asked.

Tali immediately turned to him, somewhat nervously. "What? Therum or chasing Saren?" She asked and Marcus smiled, "Chasing Saren of course." He crossed his arms and continued to wait for Tali's answer, the quarian following the same posture as she entered a pensive stance.

"Well...its exhilirating and scary at the same time. When I started on my pilgrimage I never thought I'd be travelling alongside a group of multiracials and fighting off a galactic invasion by my people's most hated enemies. I want to complete my pilgrimage and return home to my people, but also know that Saren must be stopped." She finished, waiting for Marcus' reply. It was a like an internal struggle not to reach out and touch him.

 _Keelah...I revel his touch that much? How far have I fallen...having a crush for a human guy? Ancestors, I need to make sure this doesn't become verbal._ It was too late though. Marcus had noticed her look pressing on him, and chuckled.

"Something on me?" He asked, shaking Tali from her thoughts.

"What? Of course not! Nothing! Why would you think that?" Tali said in rapidfire, her cheeks lighting up in embarassment.  _Why do always zone out like that! And especially on him of all people!_

"Because you were looking directly at my chest. And you seemed lost. Are you sure there's nothing there?" Marcus was secretly joking with her, playing around with her mind. Staying to his part, he pretended to check his chestplate for signs of the pretend substance, while Tali babbled on in the background, in her own cute way.

"I-I-I I no! No no no. No there's n-n-nothing there! Well, there is obvious something there as you are wearing a chestplate, how silly of me! Otherwise you would be nak-I mean vulnerable! And that wouldn't very good because then-t-t-then you'd get hurt! And I'm sure you could take care of yourself but-"

"Whoa! Slow down! I was joking Tali. I just noticed you looked distant. I was trying to get information out of you, but obviously that's failed." Marcus said with a large grin on his face, trying not to laugh at Tali's nonsensical babbling.

"Oh...I see. Well...I-" Tali didn't get to finish as they heard everyone in the cabin begin to shout that they were all rested and ready to go. Marcus turned to Tali and nodded with a warm smile, causing Tali to smile herself as she turned back to her console.  _Yep. I DEFINITELY have a crush on him._

"Okay people, let's get this done. I'm heading into the tunnel. Garrus, be prepared for anything. Tali, keep the shields running. That last armature almost had us." Both his companions nodded, while the others just sat there, silent as ever. Without giving anyone any time to think about what they were doing, he hit the acellerator and the Mako shot forward, heading straight for the tunnel as he performed a full 180 degree turn. The Mako rolled up the ramp and into the barren tunnel, bits of mining equipment and dead miners lay all over the remains of the tunnel. Most of them showed wounds similiar to Jenkins, and other simply lay with snapped legs or bits and pieces laying at awkward angles.

The only resistance in the tunnel itself was a simple pair of rocket troopers, and Garrus didn't even bother wasting bullets on them as Marcus simply drove over them, the platforms utterly crushed by the larger vehicle. It wasn't long before they found light at the end of the tunnel, and after narrowly avoiding two rockets and destroying their creators, they managed to traverse a nearby canyon.

"This is too easy, Shepard. I don't like it." Garrus pointed out, and Marcus nodded in agreement. Something wasn't quite right.

"Shepard...I'm picking up a hostile presence just around the next bend. Its big." Tali stated from her console, as it contained the Mako's motion tracker.

"Okay Garrus, you heard her. Prepare the explosive rounds. If its big you can definitely expect armatures. Keep on the look out." Marcus ordered, and Garrus simply nodded, reloading the mass acellerator cannon.

Meanwhile, Marcus did everything but a discreet approach. Tali just watched as the Mako barrelled down the canyon, finally rounding the corner to give them a perfect view of the enemy she had picked up. They were facing an overrun mining facility, where four geth rocket turrets faced them, red laser dots landing on their vehicle.

"Keelah..." Tali exclaimed, but Marcus simply smiled.

"Everybody buckled in?" He asked.

"Yeeeeesssssss, why?" Garrus asked, worried about what the human was about to do.

Suddenly the Mako shot forward and headed straight for the facility's main entrance. The turrets opened fire, but their rockets simply flew past the Mako as it bypassed the defenses and smashed right through the metal doors, causing them to collapse on both side as their Mako erupted inside the geth-controlled mine.

They immediately found themselves surrounded; ten geth troopers approached from all sides, some with the white armor of a shock trooper, the black armor of a standard trooper, the crimson armor of a rocket trooper and the towering height of a single juggernaut. Aiming for the heaviest of their enemies, Marcus braced himself as the Mako hurled itself into the juggernaut, the platform not getting off a single shot as its entire bottom torso was torn off by the sheer impact of the Mako.

He continued driving until the juggernaut was completely ripped in half by the impact, bits of geth armor casings laying uselessly on the ground, followed by its modified pulse shotgun. He then pulled it into immediate reverse as he shouted.

"Garrus! Tear them all a new one!"

"With pleasure!" The turian responded, and his words were followed by the heavy thumping of the main cannon firing round after round, explosions thundering outside as bits of geth flew all over the place. A few rocket troopers and the occasional shock trooper got some shots in, but with Tali's speedy movements and Garrus quick gun reflexes, the geth barely scratched the Mako as the lone vehicle decimated their ranks. Within a few moments, it was all over and the vehicle lay before the bodies of numerous geth platforms.

"Well...that was insane!" Kaidan exclaimed, chuckling at how things had turned out. Everyone else followed suit, but it wasn't long before they were continuing down the canyon and they finally found themselves erupting out and onto a wide open area. An area where they heard the tell tale sounds of humming engines.

"Incoming dropship, Shepard! four o'clock high!" Garrus shouted and Marcus saw the vessel as it descended towards the area ahead, hovering. The dropship followed the same design of all geth ships; it was shaped like a praying mantis in attack position. It was essentially a geth cruiser in miniturized form. They watched as the dropship dropped two armatures up ahead and as soon as it had arrived, it was gone again, ascending back into the sky.

"I see them. Preparing heavy rounds. Firing in three seconds." Garrus stated, Marcus hearing the slugs being slotted into the turret's firing chamber.

The first shot rang out, impacting the armature squarely in the chest, the obvious sign of shields revealed by the shimerring blue field appearing in front of it, shrugging off the blast. Ramming the vehicles seemed to work quite well, but due to the platform's proximity to the steaming hot lava pit below, he wasn't going to risk falling in.

"Keep firing! We'll ignore them! Just keep pelting them to keep them stationary! They'll be too slow to pursue us!"

Garrus did as told and the Mako continued past the four-legged tanks as Garrus continued to pound them with round after round.

It wasn't long before they were out of range of the armatures, and the squad of unlikelies pressed on towards the dig site. As Marcus drove on, the squad in the compartment continued exchanging, with Kaidan and Garrus entering a very fluid conversation.

"So...what do you think of us human grunts?"

Garrus' initial answer was a blank stare at Kaidan, before the turian finally said, "Anything's better than C-Sec."

"Is that so? What's so bad about C-Sec that made you quit?" Kaidan asked, leaning back into his seat.

"All the red tape, regulations and laws, all the political backlash. Its all crap. They were never willing to do what it took to stop crime, so instead of arresting the criminals, they set them free claiming to be 'no evidence' to prove them guility. I watched people like Fist walk free, but now we've fixed that." Garrus smiled smugly at the last bit, which made Kaidan flinch a little. It was scary to see that this turian took satisfaction in killing people even if they were criminals.

"You really think killing the criminals will really stop the problem, Garrus?" Kaidan asked, waiting for the turian's answer. Garrus' gaze seemed to examine the human for a moment before turning back to his console.

"Its the only way" were Garrus' words that ended the conversation as it begun, and the Mako was thrown into silence as they drove along the path. Suddenly, Tali shouted.

"Colossus! Right ahead!" The quarian shouted, visibly frightened.

"Colossus? What in the world is a Colossus?" Garrus shouted over the Mako's screeching as Marcus hit the brakes.

"Think of an armature, doubled in size, stronger shields and a more powerful main gun." Tali explained.

"Oh. Well...shit." Garrus epiphanied, and everyone would chuckle if they weren't facing a gigantic armoured walker. Suddenly, Marcus sighed in frustration.

"And its blocking our only access to the dig site. So we need to take it out. Garrus get ready. Tali, I've got an idea and I need your help with it. Kaidan, take the wheel."

Almost simultaneously, everyone in the vehicle nodded, and Kaidan unlatched his safety harness and sat in the driver's seat, reattaching the harness as Marcus moved to sit beside Tali and work on her console. Garrus simply began loading machine gun rounds.

"Okay Tali, is it possible to load the gun with disruptor rounds?" Marcus asked the engineer as the Mako continued forward, propelled by Kaidan's better driving skills.

"Well...yes, all I have to do is flow power from the shield regulators into the secondary gunnery output. That way the power will oscillate inside-" Tali stopped upon seeing that Marcus was smiling, "What?" she asked.

"I'm not an engineer Tali. I don't understand anything your saying. All I got was 'flow power from shields into main gun to form disruptor rounds.' Correct?" He asked, and Tali was hit by that sudden realization.  _Well, quarians will be quarians._

"I'll get right on it. Should only take a few seconds." The quarian stated confidently, and Marcus slapped her on the shoulder, gently shaking it for good measure before moving towards Garrus.

"Garrus. Step aside, this one's mine." Marcus stated, and Garrus, after some hesitation, got off the turret and Marcus took his place, strapping himself in.

"Be careful. Tali forgot to mention that the Colossus is white this time!" Garrus stated sarcastically before retreating to sit next to Kaidan.

"I'm keep that in mind." With that, Marcus reared the gun on the rapidly approaching Colossus. Tali hadn't been wrong when she said it was double the size; this thing was the size of two double-decker buses, had a more milky white exterior, stronger looking legs, two HMGs instead of one and looked as if it had stronger shields.

"There! I've done it!" Tali stated and Marcus simply smiled in response as he opened up on the colossal geth tank. Rounds pelted into the assault platform, being seemlessly absorbed by the shields but in actual fact were draining the shields as they did. It wasn't long before the Mako's HMG overheated, but by that time the shields on the Colossus were completely gone.

"Kaidan! Ram it so I can put a round in its optics!" Marcus ordered, and Kaidan was hesitant about initiating yet another ram, but did as ordered and acellerated towards the larger armature, the tank's optics glowing bright blue as it began charging its Siege Pulse. Just as they hit it, a huge pulse of blue shot past and impacted the ground behind them, leaving a huge 11 by 11 meter sized crater of molten hot dirt.

The Colossus toppled over from the ram of the Mako, but didn't fully until the Mako had it pinned against a wall. Rearing the gun up, Marcus fired an explosive round straight into the Colossus' optics. A huge resounding explosion rocked the Mako as the Colossus' 'head' exploded in hundreds of different pieces, leaving nothing but the 'neck' of the platform intact. Without its optics, the platform simply stopped operating, and a simple reverse from the Mako allowed the platform to topple onto the ground, destroyed.

With it destroyed, Marcus reassumed his original position and everybody continued their original tasks as they continued towards the dig site; and surprisingly, without enemy resistance.

"That Colossus must have been the last line of defense." Garrus pointed out.

"Or a distraction so they could set up an organized defense." Ashley also pointed out, Marcus nodding to both of their points. The driving continued on for another two minutes until they reached a dead end; well, a dead end for the Mako. The path was cut off, with a large rocky outcrop, too hard for the Mako to ram through, blocked the vehicle's entrance.

"Dig site's on the other side of those rocks. 90 meters, straight up." Tali indicated, bringing her omni-tool up.

"Then it looks like were going in on foot. Get your weapons locked and loaded and move out. Stay behind Williams. Williams, I want you on point scouting for anything that could be a threat and then alert us. DO NOT, under any circumstances engage the enemy until I say so or reinforcements arrive. I'm not losing anyone on this mission. Understood?"

Ashley simply nodded before, like everyone else, moving to get her weapons. Marcus unstrapped his harness and moved to the lockers in the cabin, pulling out his raikou sidearm, his punisher sniper rifle and diamond back, before moving towards the hatch, watching as Tali grabbed out her armageddon shotgun and standard issue striker pistol.

Hitting the panel on the side of the hatch to open it, the door slid open to reveal the molten red world of Therum. He jumped out, assault rifle at the ready as he rapidly approached the rocky outcrop, Ashley already up ahead. It wasn't long before Wrex followed, then Garrus, Kaidan and finally, Tali. Tali took up center due to her amount of vulnerability, and Wrex took the rear due to his amount of armor.

Garrus took point behind Ashley with Marcus, as both of them had sniper rifles and could easily provide cover fire for Ashley if the mission went FUBAR, and Kaidan would be able to protect Tali from any fire that managed to get past them. Nodding at his team to move, Garrus followed him with his Banshee assault rifle and both of them moved up, side by side, up the ramp as Kaidan then Tali and finally Wrex followed, leaving the Mako behind.

Marcus could feel the heat through his armor; running in this temperture, especially in heavy armor, was going to push him past his limits. But if anyone could do it, it was him. The heat stung as it went through the armor as if it was transparent, and heated up his body. Bits of dust and ash lay on the ground all over the place, the aftermath of volcanic activity on the hostile world.

 _How a city could be built on such a unhospitable planet is beyond me._ Luckily, this area was clear of any major volcanoes, so it wouldn't be disatrous if a miniture one went off.  _But in this armor, I'd probably get cooked._ He shook the thoughts of his team getting burnt alive out of his mind as he focused on the mission ahead of them.  _Snatch and grab. Get Liara and get the hell out of there._

It wasn't long before they cleared the ramp, and they found themselves at the top of the hill. What was awaiting them was a lesser sight. They watched as Ashley dove for cover as a flood of gunfire pummeled her original position. Tracing the shots back to the assailants who fired them, he spotted three shock troopers, a single rocket trooper and worst of all; three snipers perched uptop. They had the advantage of higher ground.

"SNIPERS! Get to cover! Move!" Marcus ordered motioning everyone into cover as he pelted the rocks the snipers were using for cover with assault rifle cover. "Garrus! Kaidan! Supressing fire! Supressing fire!" Garrus and Kaidan immediately nodded, their assault rifles joining the cacophony of gunfire, instead aiming for the other geth platforms they faced.

Tali immediately slid into cover, visibly frightened, shotgun held tightly in her iron grip. Wrex didn't waste anytime in foolishly charging the geth lines.

"Wrex! Get to fucking cover!" Marcus shouted, but it fell on deaf ears as Wrex ignored his orders and charged the enemy line. Deciding the best way to save Wrex from imminent death was to help him, he motioned for Garrus' Reaper sniper rifle.

"Garrus, take your rifle and aim for those snipers. I want those things destroyed. Kaidan, stay here with Tali. I don't want these synthetic bastards trying to flank us and kill her, she's vulnerable without proper armor. Ashley, come with me, we're pulling Wrex's ass out of the fire." Marcus ordered in rapidfire, all of them moving to execute their assigned tasks.

Kaidan immediately slipped next to Tali and began reassuring her while Garrus equipped his sniper rifle and fired off a supressive shot, causing another sniper to duck before it could fire its deadly payload. Without waiting, Marcus and Ashley charged straight after Wrex, who by now had a shock trooper pinned up against a wall, his solokov having lately blown its optics clean off, leaving a fine covering of white liquid on his reptillian face. Another shock trooper turned to analyze the new threat; its pulse rifle ready to gut the krogan.

Without thinking, Marcus raised his rifle and fired a heap of rounds into the shock trooper, before ramming into it with a biotic barrier, causing the platform to fly into a nearby wall. He watched as a rocket trooper approached him, rocket launcher in hand. It didn't get a chance to fire however as a massive fireball slammed into it, causing the rocket loaded in the chamber to explode and rip the platform to shreds. Turning, he saw Ashley saluting to him with a huge grin.

He heard the crackle of a sniper rifle shot band watched as the shattered remains of a geth sniper's optics fell to the groun infront of them. Smiling, he charged full of biotics again and charged the final shock trooper, his fist unleashing a massive cascading shockwave of dark energy that sent the trooper flying into a nearby wall and taking one of its legs with it.

Once Garrus had finished off the pesky snipers ahead, they regrouped near the area the dead shock troopers had been hiding before their untimely demise. "Anyone injured?" Marcus asked, watching as his team gathered around him.

"Just a bruise from shoving Tali's head back into cover. Sniper almost took her head off." Kaidan stated firmly.

"I was trying to help! I don't need you to be so overprotective! I can handle myself! I was going to overload their shields for Garrus!" Tali argued, and Marcus shook his head.

"Point is that Kaidan just saved your life. When in doubt, just blow the fucker's head off. Per se." Marcus joked, and then motioned for the others to move up. As they appeared over the hill they finally spotted the entrance into the dig site; a large cylinder like appendage that dug into the ground with a ramp leading up to it, while surrounded by multiple mining vehicles and gas containers. It was deserted for the most part, so entering could be a walk in the park.

Taking point this time, with the others behind him, he slowly approached the cylinder, all the while scanning the area around him, the putrid area filling his nostrils. It was silent.  _Tooooo quiet. I really don't-_

First he heard it, a mechanical clicking sound that was definitely geth, then he saw it. At speeds he couldn't determine, a large geth unit slammed into the ground infront of him, and he immediately focused his rifle on it. This geth was different though; it was walking on all fours. Its hands and legs, especially arms, were much longer and thinner than normal, covered in a thin, rubbery kind of substance instead of armor. It didn't wield any visible weapons, but its sheer speed made it a nimble enemy. Its neck stretched up so its glowing optics could look into him, as if daring to attack it.

Within seconds, three more of the same type joined it, before an even louder slam was heard, followed by an armature emerging from the cloud of dust. "Oh you have to be shitting me..." Garrus exclaimed as the ones he called 'hoppers' leapt back onto the building nearby, seemingly sticking to the wall like a spider before climbing away. The armature glared down at them as he ordered his team into cover.

"Fucking armatures. Okay; Tali, I need your assitance in this one. Garrus, Kaidan, I want you supressing those hopper-variants while Ash and Wrex hit that thing with everything they have. Tali, I want you to give that overload everything you have. I'll keep you covered." Tali nodded and slipped next to him, working rapidly at her omni-tool.

Ashley immediately assumed position behind another piece of cover, a section of mined rock, opposite them and began firing assault rifle shots at it as Wrex assumed position behind her and gave covering fire. Garrus and Kaidan went to work on taking out the geth. Marcus watched as one of the hoppers was ripped to shreds, but fired a red laser from its optics, which hit Kaidan and appeared to drain his shields.

_Shit._

As much as Tali found it hard to concentrate while gunshots went off around her, especially the sound of the armature firing its pulse cannon into their cover, she knew she had to work hard or risk them getting vaporized by that siege pulse. It was death or concentrate...hard.  _Kal was right. I was going to become a combat engineer at some point. Now's the time to start._

She loaded every subroutine she could think of into her overload program, and she managed to usurp all the power her inferior blue wire could muster. It was now or never.

"Shepard! My Bluewire is tasked to the max! I have to do this now! Give me cover fire!" Marcus nodded and gave the hand signal for Ashley and Wrex to give it everything they had as he leapt out of cover and fired shot after shot at the armature, making sure it focused on him.

The armature did just that, and its HMG immediately opened up on the vulnerable N7, bullets whizzing past him as it tried futilely to kill him. He watched as Tali spun out of her cover and unleashed a bright blue current of energy into the armature, its shields imploding from the assault before fully exploding.

With the armature's shields gone, Tali spun back into her cover and let off a series of khelish curses when she realized her omnitool had been overwhelmed and shut down on her.  _Yeah. She'll definitely need that omni-tool._ Tali immediately whipped out her armageddon and joined Marcus', Ashley and Wrex's combined assault upon the wounded armature, which eventually gave into the horde of gunfire, bits and chunks of armor spinning away as the tank toppled from the onslaught. Within a minute, the armature finally fell apart, destroyed.

"Okay, everyone inside. If the geth have defenses set up out here, you can be damn well sure they're already in time. We're short on time. MOVE!" Marcus demanded as his squad rushed past him. He looked back to see Tali limping up the ramp, visibly fatigued.

"You okay Tali?" Upon closer examination, his eyes widened when he saw blood trailing from the leg she was limping on and immediately went to help her, but she shrugged him off.

"Minor flesh wound. Suit autoseals to stop spread of infection. I'll get a mild fever but nothing series. I'm just tired, go, I'll catch up." The quarian reassured her commander, but it wasn't working with him.

"Geth are crawling all over the place. I'm not leaving you behind just so some sniper can get a lucky shot on you. Go, I'll watch your back." Tali seemed hesitant at first but finally conceded to his point and gradually limped up the ramp, Marcus taking up position behind her. He smiled at the quarian before following her up.

_Such an innocent kiddo brought into a war. And to think I was just like her once._

Any further thoughts of the quarian girl limping ahead of him were thrown away as Ashley opened the mining door up ahead.

_Hades, here we come._

**{Loading...}**

_June 17, 2183_

_1257 hours, Therum Time._

_8 Klicks South of Nova Yekaterinburg, Prothean Dig Site, Therum._

_Eden Prime War, Battle of Therum._

_Mission Parameters: Liara T'Soni is located somewhere on Therum. She may have a link to Saren and we think that he may be attempting to recruit her. Her family bond to her mother, Matriarch Benezia, Saren's top commander, might be a valuable asset in the war against the geth. Locate the asari researcher and capture her alive for interrogation._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, Battlemaster Urdnot Wrex, Marksman Garrus Vakarian, Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya._

It wasn't long before they erupted out into the large cavern that housed the dig site, the mine doors sliding closed behind them. The room was massive in scope, with a single platform holding a ton of research and mining equipment, while the dead remains of dead asari and turian workmen lay around the desolate ruins. A seemingly neverending wave of prothean shield doors occupied the wall up ahead, the blue light lighting up the cavern like an aquarium.

He slowly moved forward, making sure Tali was alright with Kaidan as he surveyed the area around them. The platforms looked stable enough to walk on but if combat were to be intiated in here; it would not end well. He motioned for his squad to move forward, traversing the maze of railings and platforms as they approached what appeared to be the only asari survivor.  _Might be T'Soni._

Soon, they finally reached the asari, and she cried out for them to stop. Then they heard another voice; more brutish, more intimidating.

"You've made a bad decision in coming here, human." Marcus watched the source of the voice approach from the shadows, and it turned out to be a huge krogan in dull grey armor that appeared to have seen years of combat. His face was scarred and battered, while his eyes were more blue then the blood red of Wrex's.

There were numerous geth around him, most of them shock troopers and rocket troopers.

"You've made a bad decision in being in our way, Gatatog scum. Even your son would not approve of this." Wrex stated, standing next to Marcus' right to make himself known. Verx simply smiled.

"Uvenk is still young, despite his age, and he will learn. But you Wrex...no, you won't survive the coming harvest. I will make sure of it. And these humans, you, the turian and the...ah...what do we have here? A quarian?" Verx's eyes landed on Tali who was at the back, leaning on her side heavily.  _That wound is worse than she's letting in on. Damn quarian selflessness._

He immediately came to the quarian's defense, "Yes...that quarian is named Tali'Zorah. And she's here to help me, put down scum, like you." He said bitterly, earning a chuckle from the krogan, who simply looked at his geth colleagues.

"Say hello quarian...your arch enemies. Doesn't it just kill you to know that these...machines kicked you from your homeworld? Doesn't it just anger you so much that you want to kill them all?" His grin couldn't be any bigger if he tried. Marcus saw right through it.  _He's baiting her. Testing her. Seeing what she'll do._ He keyed his combat comms, "Tali. Don't. He's baiting you."

"I know that, Shepard."

Pleased she knew of the unsuccessful attempt at a trap, he switched off his comm and went back to dead eying the krogan.

"What harvest? What the hell are you going on about?" Marcus asked the krogan.

**SOMETHING YOU CANNOT COMPREHEND.**

Everyone looked at the krogan wide eyed, but even the krogan himself seemed surprised.

"What the hell...n-no matter! Its time I got rid of you! Machines, kill these vermin!" The krogan named Verx got out his shotgun while glowing with biotics as his machine minions also raised their weapons and prepared to fight the intruders who were so close to ending their mission.

All it took was Marcus raising his rifle for his entire squad to bare arms on the geth and their krogan leader; Wrex raising his shotgun and holding it like it was a pistol, while Ashley and Kaidan came up behind Marcus, flanking both of his sides, while Garrus took next to Ashley, sniper rifle raised as Tali unsteadily tried to keep her shotgun raised.

_Injury she's got, she'll only get herself killed._

The next moment was blocked out by a horde of gunfire from both sides as they engaged each other in all out combat. Kaidan met a rocket trooper head on, his omni-tool sparking to life as he seemingly went to punch the geth optics, instead hitting the optics with his fist while also sending a incinerate program into the optics, blasting it too pieces as he then followed up by thrusting the assault rifle into its chest, holding the trigger until he was sure the trooper was nonfunctional.

Ashley attacked a shock trooper with a concussive shot, which stunned the platform long enough for her to close the distance and prime a grenade, thrusting it into the open bit of the geth's armor chasing as she then cleared the blast zone, the grenade exploding, leaving nothing of the trooper she had stuck it in.

Wrex clashed head on with Verx, both of the krogan unleashing attacks comprised of biotics, fists and shotgun blasts. The two war beasts continued to clash in the middle of the battle, comrades from both sides sidestepping so as to not be caught in the confrontation.

Two rocket troopers went to gang up on Garrus, but the turian executed such a perfect headshot on the left one, that any organic would have been stunned. However, these were synthetics. Instead of waiting for the second rocket trooper to prepare, Garrus grabbed the butt of his rifle and shoved it straight into the optics of the trooper, causing the light to flicker and die as it smashed, allowing Garrus to unload a concussive shot into the platform, destroying it for good.

He noticed Tali had taken to sitting down and fighting off the geth, her leg looking worse for wear. It wasn't the minor wound she had said it was, as the infection could be seen through the suit; a big, purple bruise the size of a tennis ball and bleeding; badly. He could hear Tali's occasional sneeze followed by erratic coughing, but she held firm, her shotgun pelting against the incoming geth, taking them down one by one.

A nearby rocket trooper however managed a lucky shot, firing a rocket directly at the quarian. With split-second speed, Marcus threw a grenade to intercept the rocket that would probably leave the quarian a pile of meat, and both of them met in a huge explosion that sent him stumbling alittle. Without thinking, he raced towards Tali and placed his rifle on the ground, moving to check the wound.

"Its...fine...really-" she was cut off as she began another fit of coughing, her voice filled with incongestion.

"Like hell you are! I can see that wound bleeding through the suit! That thing is huge and you need medical attention. Dr. Chakwas can take care of you." Before Tali could retort, Marcus keyed his comm, "Normandy, this is Shepard. Do you read?" If they could hear him, then he would hear a sarcastic remark somewhere about...

"This is SSV Normandy, we do indeed read. What kind of book would you like me to read?" Came Joker's voice through the radio, Marcus rolling his eyes at the expected sarcasm.

"Cut the crap, Joker. We need immediate CASEVAC. Tali is wounded and suffering from a moderate infection. Get down here and prepare for extraction."

"Copy that, Commander. Grid Kilo-Two-Niner looks clear, I'm coming in hot. Standard vector approach. See you at the landing zone Commander, just try not to blow up any volcanoes. I don't want to be swimming in molten sulfur. Joker out."

"Tali, I need to get you out of here. This isn't safe." Marcus stated.

"No! I can still fight! Just, let me rest for a-" Tali pleaded, but was cut short.

"I'm giving you a direct order, Miss Zorah! Cut the crap! I'm not having you die from stubborness, now up on your feet!" Marcus snapped into commander mode. This is why he was considered so fatherly. He looked after his crew so much that he'd even pull authority to make sure they were safe.

"Yes, sir!" Tali did the same and stood up, but she didn't get very far when she saw Wrex being tossed towards the commander.

"Shepard! Look out!" She shouted, trying not to scream as the five hundred krogan continued to fly towards the oblivious human. Without looking, Marcus executed a forward combat roll to the right and dodged Wrex as he slammed into the wall, and the human spectre immediately recovered, turning to face his adversary.

Verx stared at them with a toothy grin, the bodies of his numerous dead geth lying all over.

"Commander Shepard! Fight me! Tell your companions to stay out of this! I want to see how this 'hero' can fight. I won't believe you took down ten thousand batarians until I see for myself."

Shepard's squad looked at him, waiting for his answer. Wrex was already back on his feet and prepared to attack Verx again, but Marcus held out his arm for him to stop.

"He wants a fight? Very well. I'm not a dishonorable man and I'm certainly no coward." With that, Marcus threw his raikou to the ground, followed by his punisher, then his diamond back. He smiled at Verx as the krogan followed suit.

"No sir you're not, but you're not stupid either!" Ashley shouted, and Tali put a hand on his shoulder. Marcus looked at her and chuckled, giving the quarian a thumbs up before moving up and taking his place in the 'arena.' Verx circled the human, who had his eyes fixed on the asari trapped behind the shield, who appeared to be watching very astutely.

When he finally heard the pounding footsteps of someone approaching from behind him, he fell forwards onto his belly, allowing the krogan to pass right over him before leaping back up and jumping on the krogan's back, locking his arms around his neck in a headlock.

But Verx wasn't stupid. Instead of trying to peel the human off, he fell backwards and before Marcus realized what he was doing, he was stuck under the weight of the beast. Releasing his grip and letting out a yelp of pain, the krogan got up and turned to the krogan who was preparing to use his foot to cave his ribcage in, but Marcus rolled to his left, sending his heel barrelling into the krogan's backknee, sending him slamming into the ground as Marcus rolled to his feet.

The krogan tried to get back to his feet, but Marcus was already rushing towards him and he landed a heavy biotic punch just below Verx's crest, causing him to wince in pain, squinting his eye. Seeing as biotics were being brought into the fight, Verx lit up in biotic light and charged forward, unleashing a barrage of biotic assaults.

_I'm no normal Vanguard. I can do one thing they can't._

And with that, Marcus achieved the impossible. With the swoop of a hand, he unleashed a singularity directly inbetween him and Verx. Caught in th sudden well of dark energy, Verx was unable to control his momentum as he was tossed around like a ragdoll inside the sphere of biotics. When the singularity finally imploded, he fell to the ground with a grunt, but didn't get to recover as he was enveloped in Marcus' own energy and tossed away from him and slamming into another wall.

"Impressive...human. But I'm not done yet." Verx declared as he got to his feet.

"Obviously. As you're still standing. N7 motto is, 'An enemy tries to kill you, you make sure you finish the job.'" Marcus said with a cold effiency, no cold smile coming across his features instead it remained blank.

Verx growled in anger as he charged forward, but Marcus simply sidestepped to the side and sent a bioticly-fueled elbow into his back. This, of course, didn't hurt the krogan, but it did stun him long enough for Marcus to sweep him from under his feet and allow him a vantage point over the war beast.

He stood over the krogan battlemaster and put a foot to the krogan's neck, who tried to swat it away but Marcus held firm.

"You just fucked with the hero of Elysium and his squad. Remember that." Without further hesitation, he gathered a ball of dark energy in his fist and slammed it into the krogan's face, the telltale sound of snapping bones heard as Verx's body went limp. He heard Wrex approach him from the side.

"Shit...you're certainly worthy of the battlemaster title, Shepard. Quite impressive. But don't we have that asari to save?" Marcus nodded and they all approached the shield door holding the asari, Marcus ordering Tali to stay seated where she was. With angry mumbling, she finally conceded to his point and stayed seated, her omni-tool appearing as he appeared to check her messages.

It wasn't long before they reached her, and she began talking before they could even speak.

"Are you Commander Shepard? I gather you got my distress call? Thank the goddess! Please, you have to get me out of here! You'll have to find a way around the shield. I activated it to keep the geth out but I must have triggered somekind of security field!" The asari shot at them in rapidfire.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down. Are you Liara T'Soni?" Marcus asked.

"Yes. I'm a Prothean Researcher. I was studying these ruins when the geth showed up. Killed my fellow diggers, slaughtered the security team assigned here. I'm the only survivor." Liara stated, hoping these people weren't just lying for her sake.

"We'll get you out." Marcus stated.

"No need to bother. I found it." Kaidan declared, and everyone turned to him to see him meddling with some terminal. Finally, the shield appeared to drop and they were allowed access to the room Liara was held in.

"Well...that was easier than I thought. Although its odd they'd put the panel OUTSIDE. That's like putting up a sign saying 'Useless Shield Here. Just Press a Few Buttons and You'll Get In.' Protheans are odd people." Garrus stated sarcastically, and a few people laughed as the turian accessed the field controls and shut it down, causing the asari to fall to the ground.

After helping her up gently, he patted her on the shoulder.

"We've got a ship ready to pick you up. We need you to come with us. Its to do with Saren and your mother, Benezia." Marcus stated and that was all the incentive Liara needed to follow Marcus and his squad out. After returning to Tali, who had so nicely gathered up all of Marcus' weapons, he grabbed them and attached them before hooking an arm under Tali's and helping her up.

"Come on, we're-" Marcus didn't even get to finsh.

A huge cascade of explosions sounded as the place rocked and bits of rock slammed into the platform 'arena', destroying it completely. Within seconds, stalagmites and bits of cavern rock began to fall from all over, bits of lava appearing in the seems.

"Oh shit..." Kaidan said, a horrified look on his features.

"ERUPTION! WE NEED TO LEAVE! RIGHT NOW!" Liara screamed, and she shot up the ramp, followed by the rest of the group, Marcus lagging behind as he moved with Tali. Within a few moments he felt something warm pressed against his chest and when he looked down, he found Tali holding onto him for dear life. At the rate they were going, they would never make it, so instead...

Without hesitation, he pulled Tali up and held her over his shoulders as he sprinted towards the exit, never stopping to look behind him. It wasn't long before they finally reached the exit and raced into the Normandy's Cargo Hold. They watched as the huge frigate ascended into the atmosphere, the volcano exploding behind them with plumes of lava shooting up everywhere.

"Commander, put Tali down. We need to get her to medical." Shaking out of his trance he gently put Tali down and Garrus and Kaidan continued to aid her as they stepped into the elevator with Chakwas, doors closing behind them.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I hope buckethead will be alright." Came Ashley's voice from behind him.

"Me too. And, buckethead? Really?" He asked with a grin, Ashley laughing as she shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. Its catchy. I like it. I think I'll call her that from now on." She said, returning to her station.

_Not unless you want to keep your head._

He chuckled as he continued towards the now once again available elevator. He thought about how Tali had hugged him so tightly.

_She felt warm. Yet, she held onto me like she wanted me to save her. Like she was placing her life in my hands. The last person who did that was..._

"I'm scared sir! I don't know what to do! Shit! PLEASE! Batarians all over the place!"

 _Roshia. I failed you. I failed Jenkins. And I won't fail Tali. Is it...love I'm feeling for that quarian? No, can it? Or maybe I'm just getting paranoid. Besides, it would never work out. She's got the suit and I'm a soldier._ Then he remembered his recent words.

_Romance doesn't belong on the battlefield._

_I don't love Tali, she's just part of my crew. I look out for my crew. That's all it is._

The following night, all he could think about was that same question.

_Love or not love?_

There was always that same answer.

_Romance doesn't belong on the battlefield._

_**"** _ **Well, its obvious got over that shit. Right?"**

**\- Carter Dielheart.**

**"Nope, he fell in love with Princess Molestia. What the fuck do you think?"**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001**

**"Point taken. So how long was it before shit hit the fan and he found himself in bed with the quarian he said he'd never love?"**

**\- Carter Dielheart.**

**"Why is she so important? What has Tali got to do with this. You want to know about Shepard don't you? How much do you know about him anyway?"**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001**

**"More than you know."**

**\- Carter Dielheart.**

_**Author's Notes:** _

_**Yes, I know I'm not explaing ANY of these military terms or especially, khelish terms (not to mention hebrew and that asari term Liara used) but I'm trying to find a way of doing it that's unique (do not even dare suggest using the To Survive way. This is Enigma, not TS)** _

_**If you guys could come up with an idea on how to do it, then post it in your review. Much appreciated. AND REVIEW. Please, the continuity of this story depends on it!** _

_**So sorry for this chapter taking so long to come out. I had a significant amount of writer's block, not to mention wanting to play Crysis 2's amazing campaign in preparation for Crysis 3 (which, if you ask Reaver who introduced me to the series, he is very skeptical about) and so forth many other things have happened. Priority missions for the other fanfic as well are also very time consuming and require fucktons of patience. But do not fret, this story is far from dead!** _

_**I was going to say something else, but now I forgot. DAMN IT.** _

_**Anyway, enjoy your week (I won't, bloody year 9 is PUNISHINGLY tedious)** _

_**It will be fun they said. Not tedious they said.** _

_**AH! That's it!** _

_**Tell me in your view if you spotted the halo reference near the start. I'll give you a hint, it has to do with the Mako. ;)** _

_**Also, if any of you are good with deviantart or drawing in general, or know someone who does, I would really appreciate it if you email some to me (when you finish them of course) for a cover art for Enigma. I would prefer to have it depict Earth in the background, with Shepard standing in front, while Tali and Garrus stand at his sides, Tali on the left staring left and vice versa. Enjoy, and the rest is up to you! Do whatever you want with it but it must have at least those! And by anything, I mean anything that isn't rude or retarded.** _

_**Until then, I leave you with my random gaming quote of the day.** _

_**"You're elite soldiers. Well-equipped. SO SOMEONE! GROW SOME BALLS AND KILL THAT TIN FUCK FOR ME!"** _

_**Commander Lockhart, (Anonymous Game)** _

_**Comment in review section if you think you know what quote that was from. Happy hunting! ;)** _

_**PS Aliens Colonial Marines SUCKED BALLS.** _

_**That will be all. xD** _


	11. Romance Is A Bitch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the distant future, an interrogation continues. Back in the present, Shepard develops feelings for Tali, but refuses to act on them. Liara tries to integrate with the crew. Saren makes his next move on Feros.

_December 20, 2250_

_1401 hours._

_{CLASSIFIED LOCATION}_

_Special Tasks Group Operative Commander Carter Dielheart, Lieutenant Jaris 'Siren' Paltarons._

Today was another normal day. More interrogation, more useless questions, more mindless babbling about Zero-Zero-One's lifestyle. The work had become quite interesting instead of the tedious shit that Carter had actually expected. Ever since the salarian STG started their 'outreach program' after the 'Earth Recession' period following 2190, and began recruiting multiracial agents to train as STG operatives, humans like him, all ex-CIA, had begun getting so used to the job, that they felt like the sneeky bastards themselves.

Carter's callsign was 'Nemesis', but most just called him Carter. Jaris Paltarons, aka Siren, and his fellow comrades from the now defunct Ulysses Squad, were now working in facilities like these, all working towards the same goal; Project Catalyst. Ever since the end of the Post-Apocalyptic Wars of 2194 to 2229, the Alliance had been trying to find ways of utilizing reaper 'nanites' as cybernetic upgrades, their source obviously being the now defunct Cerberus and Shepard himself. The Alliance's goal; to supply powerful upgrades to trainees to essentially transform the alliance marines into supersoldiers. It was risky, but could it be done? Time would tell.

The room was lit up in a vast blue light and many humans, salarians, asari, yahg, raloi and quarians moved to and from the edges of the packed mess hall, all scrabbling for the canteen so as to grab their levo and dextro amino food and drink. Pushing past them, he sat next to his teammate.

"Nemesis! Your session over all ready?" Siren asked, his face creasing in a frown. His armor was white with black stripes, while he wore armor similiar to the blood dragon armor, with more advanced barriers. His APAR assault rifle sat on the table, heating core obviously overused recently. The man was growing a beard, dark brown in color, but it wasn't fluffy; barely making his chin, his hazel eyes gazed into his as he waited for an answer.

"On break actually. They're feeding Zero-Zero-One now. I'm just getting some food. I'm starving." Carter said, pulling in next to his friend, his plate covered in an assortment of vegetables, fried potatoes and two chicken sausages. He began to eat as Siren threw his next question at him.

"So...what bit you get up to?" He asked, and Nemesis easily knew what he was referring to.

"Post-Therum. Tali got injured and he's about to call a meeting of the crew. Just saved Liara in other words." Carter finished, his mouth now full of potato.

"Ha! I'm up to the bit where he just handed Saren's ass to him. Zero-Eleven is WAY more cooperative than Zero-Zero-One, and you'd think he would be the one to concentrate more." Siren replied, and both of them chuckled.  _He's right. The man's a stubborn moron._

"I guess he'll crack eventually. He's in much worse shape than the other subjects. Zero-Twelve is pretty loopy though." Carter stated.

Siren chuckled, "Zero-Twelve? As in 'Loopy Verner'? He's useless. Would have thrown him out by now. Of course you need to go through 'wipe mind clean' regulations but what's the point when there's nothing in there to start with? Everytime I mention 'Shepard' he goes into a mental breakdown. You'd think their brothers or something."

Carter simply nodded in agreement, digging into his sausage as he did. Before he could further enjoy his meal, a voice came over the comm.

"Section Acheron, Squad 5-C, report to the Interrogation Wing. One of the subjects has gone loose. Response team Squad 5-C, report immediately, out." Turning, he watched as two quarian marines, three salarians, a single turian and two geth raced out the door to execute their assigned tasks.

"Must be Zero-Twenty. NOW THAT is someone they need under lock and key. He's like a juggernaut." Siren declared, pointing his fork in the general direction of the interrogation wing.

"Why?" Carter turned back to Siren, completely oblivious to who Twenty was. As far as he knew, only nineteen subjects existed.

"Twenty! You know, the big krogan guy named Grunt!" Siren explained, and Carter widened his eyes in surprise.

"We have him in here! Why didn't they say anything? He's a fucking krogan for fuck sake, you can't let one of those loose without armed guard!" Carter shouted, simply infuriated that he was sleeping in a facility that held a krogan. How many others were there? And what if they held Yahg to? Civilian yahg were bad enough, but a pissed off one?

"Hey, you want to place a complaint, talk to the Alliance brass. Otherwise keep me out of this. I don't make policy around here," Siren stated before looking at his chrono, "And I should get back to it. Hopefully 'ol Bailey is still up for some more." With that, he patted Carter on the back as he returned to it. Carter, for the sake of it, decided to check his omni-tool an realized he had been blissfully unaware of the message on his tool.

_To: Nemesis {Name and Rank Withheld for Security Purposes as per Regulation 150, Article Six}_

_From: Interrogation Wing, Assistant Harrison._

_Subject: Zero-Zero-One._

_He's waking up sir, and he's waiting for you. Just take it slowly, it seems he's been dreaming lately and is feeling a bit light headed. Take it slow._

_Hopefully this shit can end soon, Catalyst had better pay off for all these people have gone through. Why does interrogation need to be used for a cybernetic upgrade program anyway?_

_From: Interrogation Wing, Assistant Harrison._

_To: Nemesis {Name and Rank Withheld for Security Purposes as per Regulation 150, Article Six}_

"Well fuck." Carter cursed under his breath as he deactivated his omni-tool and snatched the last sausage off the plate, taking the plate back to the canteen before emptying its contents into the nearby bin and giving it back. He then made his way out of the mess hall, his destination being the interrogation wing.

It wasn't long before he finally arrived at the room and he hit the panel to open the door. It slid open to reveal the human he had been interrogation for quite some time.  _So...Therum. Time to find out what happened next._

**ENIGMA**

**CHAPTER NINE:**

**ROMANCE IS A BITCH**

_June 17, 2183_

_1301 hours._

_Debriefing Room, Normandy-Class Stealth Frigate SSV Normandy SR-1, Knossos System._

_Eden Prime War, Post-Battle._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, Battlemaster Urdnot Wrex, Marksman Garrus Vakarian, Prothean Researcher Liara T'Soni._

Marcus sat in his chair, blankly staring at a wall as he waited for his team to arrive for the debriefing. The mission on Therum had gone well, and they had rescued Liara from Verx and his geth. A geth frigate had been in orbit of the planet, but upon the Normandy's escape, the geth frigate had withdrawn all forces on the planet and retreated before the Alliance could arrive.

He was finally relieved of his tedious duties to the wall when the door opened to let Ashley and Kaidan strode in, followed by Wrex, Garrus and their latest addition; Liara. Tali wasn't accompanying them due to her injuries, as she was still restricted to the med bay.  _Should check up on her after this._ Everyone assumed their normal positions, Liara taking a seat inbetween Wrex and Garrus. By the time everyone was seated, only Tali's chair remained empty.

With everyone seated, he stood up and moved to the center to address the group.

"That wasn't exactly a textbook operation, but that was damn well done people. Not only did we get Liara out alive, but we killed that Verx asshole and took out a big portion of a geth regiment. I say that's a job well done." He nodded and everyone with a smile, everyone seemingly nodding back until his eyes landed on the only asari in the room; Liara.

"Miss T'Soni, is there anything you can tell us about Saren or your mother Benezia? Do you think they were trying to kill you or capture you? Or maybe rescue you?" He then realized how harsh the last bit had been.  _I need to know if she's friend or foe._

"Please, call me Liara. And I really can't help you. My mother left me six years ago and I haven't heard from her since. As for Saren, I don't know very much about him but apparently Verx was there to recruit me or something. Then he started screaming at himself." Liara finished, waiting for the human spectre to analyze the information.

"So you're completely oblivious to the fact that Saren and your mother have an armada of geth and are moving to invade Council Space?" Marcus stated. Liara's shocked expression was all he needed to know she wasn't lying. Noone was that good of a liar.

"Sh-what? My mother? Benezia? She would never do such a thing! She's kind hearted and gentle, not a murderer! How can you say such things!" The asari shouted with anger, but Marcus simply brought up his omni-tool and played the recording of Saren and Benezia they had presented as evidence, which was close to bringing Liara to tears.

"I'm sorry for your loss. I'll have you taken to the Citadel and put under armed guard." Marcus declared, but the asari immediately snapped her look towards him.

"No! I can't crawl away and hide! I have to discover why she's doing this! Please, let me come with you! I have biotic abilities and I'm pretty good with pistols." Liara pleaded with Marcus, her look begging for her to come with him. It was the same look he'd seen Tali give him a few times; the look of youth.

"Very well, I might as well introduce you to the crew then," He began introducing the asari to the entire crew, starting with Garrus before ending with Kaidan, "There are many more you should meet..."

"Like me, Joker, the pilot of this  _fine_ luxury liner. May I take your order, miss?" Joker's voice came through the comm, and sometimes Marcus wondered if he even bothered to come down from that cockpit.  _I'll have to ask about that later._

"Don't you have a ship to pilot?" Marcus asked the comm.

"And don't you have hot asari babes to flirt with?" Joker retorted. Marcus snorted and laughed, which was copied by Kaidan and Garrus. Ashley wasn't as impressed.

"He would never-" Ashley began, but didn't get to finish.

"Liara is a member of the crew. This is not flirting, this is introduction. I'm sorry, but you'll have to find somewhere else for that Joker. Keep your fantasies under lock and key." Marcus responded.

"Back to Fornax it is then." With that, any further retort from the crew was cut short by Joker disengaging the comms.

"Don't listen to Joker. He's a real jerk sometimes. You get used to him. Now, Liara, may I ask you what in the world you were doing down there on Therum? You looked like you were digging up Prothean ruins." He turned to Liara, very curious as to what the young asari was doing down there.

"I was. Ever since I found some artefacts on my birthworld of Thessia, I had become obsessed with the Protheans. All their vast technology, intergalactic colonies, and their wonderous creations such as the Citadel and Mass Relays. And they vanished. I found it all so very fascinating. That's why I have dedicated my life to discovering why the Protheans disappeared. And they weren't the first. Many other galactic civilizations have just vanished from the galactic map many billions of years. It seems to be a neverending cycle." The asari explained in barely contained excitement.

"Then you have your answer. I have my own theory on why the disappeared." Marcus declared.

"With all due respect Commander I've heard them all, and all of them are wrong. None of them can be proven." Liara began.

"They were wiped out by a race of sentient machines. The Reapers. And if what you said is any indication, the rest of those civilizations fell prey to the same machines. It might be a galactic cycle of extinction." Marcus explained. Liara was extremely shocked.

"The Reapers? Goddess, sentient machines? This all seems very farfetched, but if the Reapers really are that thorough, having left no trace of their existence, then the galaxy really is in danger. This cycle happens every fifty thousand years, and well..."

"...Its time for the next cycle. Which must mean Saren, Benezia and the geth are the vanguard of the Reapers return." Garrus added. Everyone nodded and everyone looked back at him, but it was Ashley who spoke up.

"What about that vision from the beacon? The one from Eden Prime." Ashley asked.

"Beacon? You were touched by A beacon?" Liara asked, a smile creasing her face. Marcus sighed.  _Williams, what have you done?_

"Yes. It fed somekind of vision into my mind before exploding. I can't make sense of any of it." Marcus explained to the asari, who immediately stood up and approached him.

"If I may commander, I can help you understand that vision. I need to link my consciousness with yours. My people call it a mind-meld." Liara explained, but it was Ashley who immediately shot up to retort.

"Williams, sit down. If I ever want to understand the vision I'm going to need help." Ashley didn't look reassured, but she immediately sat down, and he turned back to face Liara. "Do it." He asked her, and he felt two, warm blue hands touch the sides of his head as the asari bowed hers down, closing her eyes. She then slowly looked up as she spoke, "Relax Commander."

Feeling his eyes getting droopy, he closed them just as Liara finished, "Embrace eternity!" She opened her eyes, and they were pitch black as night and he felt his mind spring to life as the vision once again plagued his mind. The screaming, the blood, the synthetic roars and those deafening words that always gave him shivers.

**WE ARE THE END OF EVERYTHING.**

His eyes shot open as Liara terminated the link with his mind, her hands seemingly holding her hands in midair as she backed off with pure shock.

"Goddess...I've never seen such...whoa...what you're going through Commander it would...it would have destroyed a lesser mind. The visions are vivid, intense, graphic. But its like you said; jumbled and useless. I can't make anything out of it. Its all jumbled and nonsensical. You'd need to think like a Prothean to understand any of it. And unfortunately, there aren't really any Protheans around." Liara explained, falling into her chair with a exhausted look on her face.

"You okay? You look exhausted." Marcus asked her. Liara looked up and for a second her gaze met his before she turned away, "I'm fine. I just need...some rest. Somewhere to sit and let my mind be at peace."

"I'll take you to the medbay where Chakwas can assign you a place to stay. I'll take your stuff to your locker and show you your sleeper pod later. Welcome to the team Liara T'Soni. Also, talk to Tali when your there. She couldn't be here due to her injury," he then turned to the rest of the assembled crew, "Crew dismissed."

Everyone immediately stood up and left, with Liara following Marcus down the steps and into the medical bay. It wasn't long before they were inside and after looking around, they saw Tali, sitting up in the second bed to the opposite door, watching as Chakwas sat next to her and ran scans of the quarian with her omni-tool. Both immediately turned to the door upon hearing it open, Tali's eyes immediately landing on her commander.

Chakwas smiled at them as they walked in, "Shepard, come to check in on Tali?" Chakwas finished up her scans and started up towards Marcus smiling warmly as she did.

"That and to introduce you to Liara T'Soni, our latest squadmate. Liara, this is Medical Officer Karin Chakwas, but we all call her doc or Doctor Chakwas for short or for some as formality." Marcus introduced the two women, and both shaked hands excitedly.

"I guess you have experience in the medical division?" Chakwas asked the asari.

"I'll just leave you two to it. I'm going to check on Tali." Marcus stated before Liara could answer, and both of the women nodded at him as he moved towards the quarian, both of them reentering their evaluation of each other.

"Hey Tali, I was wondering how you were holding up." Marcus asked as he sat up on the bed on her right and watched her. She sat up further until she was resting her back on the wall and looked directly into his eyes, her fingers wringing with each other.

"I'm...good. I just have a minor fever that's...," before she could continue, the quarian sneezed, "not bad enough to keep me off duty. Another day and I should be able to attend my duties as per normal."

"Good. We're heading to Feros now. I want to investigate the geth attack going on there. We'll arrive there in three days so you should be able to accompany us. I hope you feel better." Marcus said, smiling at her. Then he remembered Therum and knew he just had to ask. Scratching the nape of his neck, he turned to her awkwardly, "Um...about what happened on Therum..."

Through Tali's mask, he could see her blue eyes expand suddenly in shock as she cupped her vocalizer and went on a huge stuttering spree.

"I-I-I that was...um...I...didn't mean to...I just...I didn't want to think that...I...I'm...a...this is so embarrassing." Tali declared, trying to hold one three-fingered hand over her visor to shield her emotions, even though it wasn't nessacary.  _That hug felt so good, but now I'm totally regretting it. Why did I let my feelings get the better of my judgment? I got intimate with my superior officer! What if I had done that to Kal or my father during a meeting?_

"Can we just pretend that never happened?" Tali finally said, no stuttering involved this time.

"Sorry, can't do that. Why did you hug me Tali? What made you think that was nessacary?" Marcus said with a mock angry tone.

"I thought you'd protect me! I've got a-"  _a YOU FOOL! Don't say that! Imagine the redicule you'd get! How disgusted he'd be!_

"Got a what?" Marcus asked, no venom held in his voice.

_Now you've done it. Cornered yourself you stupid girl. What are you going to say? I have a crush on you and you should just forget about it because you'd rather have Ashley or that asari? Why would he want to be involved with you anyway? He can't even see your face or kiss you whenever he wants! He's far better off with Ashley and the asari! I doubt you're even on his list of who to be with!_

"Nothing." Tali responded curtly, turning her gaze away from the Spectre.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" Marcus asked, and Tali thanked him mentally for not pressuring the subject.

"I'm fine, Shepard. Really." Tali reassured him and Marcus simply gave her a warm smile that always seemed to make her melt into her seat.

"Well, I've got reports to write out. Tell me if you need anything." With that, Tali gave another attempt at a human salute, but once again failed and resigned to a simple nod. Chuckling, he saluted her back before reapproaching the two women he had left before.

"So, we found a place for our asari researcher?"

Chakwas nodded and turned towards him, "She'll be helping me in the medbay. I've given her my old office in the back. Now you know where to find her if you need her." With that, Chakwas retreated to her new desk while Liara moved into her new room to check it out. Letting her be, Marcus decided to leave the medbay and headed for his cabin.

_Time for a hot shower._

Then he remembered he had just been on Therum.

_Cold shower it is._

**{Loading...}**

_June 18, 2183_

_0400 hours._

_Mess Hall, Normandy-Class Stealth Frigate SSV Normandy SR-1, In FTL inbound for Attican Beta Cluster._

_Eden Prime War._

_Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya._

All night she tossed and turned. She tried her best to sleep. She tried again and again and again. She tried filtering old quarian folk music into her audio filters, she tried drinking cold water, she tried everything, and she failed.

She could not sleep. Why?

It was too quiet.

Now many of the crew may have found it odd that quarians found it hard to sleep when it was quiet, but when you're a quarian, you tend to get used to sleeping to noise.  _Especially back on the fleet._ This ship was just too advanced to let her sleep. Finally surrendering to being awake, she got up out of bed and decided to have a early breakfast and headed out into the mess hall. Hitting the door panel, she made her way through the door and out into the hall.

But when she turned right she found the one person she wished wasn't there. Shepard was on one side of the table, his face buried deep in work. She shook away the feelings she had from the previous day and moved up towards him, which he took notice of, moving his head to look at her.

"Tali? What are you doing up so early? You're shift doesn't start until Zero-Eight-Hundred." Marcus asked, half happy that he finally had a distraction from his tedious and half-annoyed that he couldn't finish it. Eventually, the battle of the mind was won by the former, and he dropped the datapad on the table.

"Couldn't sleep." Tali said bluntly and to the point, sitting down next to the spectre. Reaching behind her, she put a hand through the dextro food crate and pulled a single tube of nutrient paste, feeding it into her mouth piece.

"Nightmares, eh? I get them to." Marcus asked the quarian, his face looking worn. His eyes were bloodshot, while his face looked drained of energy. A man exhausted.

"No. Its too quiet to sleep." Tali said, not ignorant of the last bit Shepard said.  _This man...the man who seems so indestructible, has nightmares? I guess its true what they say, 'nobody's perfect.'_ Upon Tali's explanation of her insomniac state, Marcus faced her with a raised brow.

"Too quiet? How can you not sleep to quiet? That's how I sleep. My mum used to say that 'when its quiet, you drift off like a little angel.'" Marcus recounted with a little humor in his voice at the memory, a grin gracing his lips. Tali didn't quite understand what an angel was, but she guessed it must have been a human thing.

"Things are different on the fleet. Our ships are so worn down and old that they all make loud humming sounds when the engines are on. It was annoying at first, but we gradually got used to it and fell asleep to it. When there's no sound on one of our ships, it means a engine has died or even worse...a blocked air filter. I know that's not the case here, but its old instinct."

"'Old Habits die hard.' I see what you mean." Marcus said, and he suddenly felt sorry for the quarian.  _All the things her people went through. Their ancestors pay for their mistakes and they still suffer greatly for it. These people are worse than the batarians. At least they HAVE a homeworld. The quarians have a fleet of dying, decomissioned ships._

"Yeah, like that. I guess I'll get used to it. Its just alittle scary, that's all." Tali said, finally finishing her tube of nutrient paste.

"Tell me more about your people. For starters, what is with the 'nar Rayya' bit of your name?" Marcus asked, ready to delve deeper into the world of quarian culture. Tali smiled at the prospect of teaching the human more about her people, and began to explain.

"Well,  _nar_ in my people's language means 'born on' and the Rayya is one of the three liveships that keep my people alive."

"So 'nar Rayya' basically means 'born on Rayya.' So you were born on a liveship, correct?" Nodding to confirm Marcus was right, the human smiled at his victory.

"Although it doesn't remain that way. That's what pilgrimages are about. We are sent out when we become of age to do so, and we leave the fleet to find something of value to prove our worth. That's what pilgrimages are. Once we return, we present the gift to the captain of the ship we wish to join. If its accepted, and it usually is, we then join that crew and earn the 'vas' in our name, which replaces the 'nar.'"

"Vas?" Marcus asked.

"It means 'Crew of'. Say if I was joining the...Neema,"  _And I will once my pilgrimage is over_ , "I'd become 'Tali'Zorah  _vas_ Neema.' But if the ship is destroyed, you gain the 'vas ri' in your name, which means 'Crew of Defunct.'"

"That makes sense. I guess that kind of makes you 'Tali'Zorah vas Normandy' doesn't it?" Marcus asked, and Tali felt her heart skip a beat.  _vas Normandy. That sounds...nice if I say it aloud._

"Not really. Technically your ship isn't part of the Migrant Fleet, so it doesn't count, not to mention I haven't presented a gift to the captain."

"Yeah you have." Marcus stated clearly.

"What? But-what then? What have I presented?" Tali asked the captain.

"Well, there's the evidene and then there's..." Marcus immediately stopped, cutting himself off.

"What?" Tali asked again.

"You." Marcus said simply causing Tali's heart to skip two beats. Marcus cursed in his mind.  _You? The...fuck are you doing you retard! What happened to 'romance doesn't belong on the battlefield'? Are you chucking that out the window? No, stop this now! This is ludicrous! She probably doesn't want you anyway! She's better off with a member of her own species!_

"What..." Tali tried to form a coherent sentence, but she failed.  _Did he just say that? No! No! NO! He must have meant it in a different context. Just because he called you a gift to him doesn't make it a romantically involved comment! Oh you blind stubborn fool, that's exactly what it means!_

Inside, Marcus' otherside fought against his logic.

_Do it. Have you seen the way she moves around you? The way she talks to you? The way she hugged you? The way she LOOKS at you? The evidence is all there, you just have to notice! She has a thing for you, and you should act upon it. Do you really think Hunter would want you moping around like this? She'd tell you the samething! Tell the damn girl! Or are you too much of a fucking coward to do it? Its not hard. Six simple words, 'I have a crush for you.' SAY IT!_

But Marcus wasn't having any of it.

"Nothing. I didn't say anything. What do you think I said? I certainly didn't mention anything like that. I don't know what you're talking about." Marcus stated without even thinking.  _Smooth dickhead, REAL smooth. Now, like her, you're a blabber mouth who can't keep his mouth shut worth a dime. Yet again, even she knows better._

"Nevermind." Tali said, effectively ending the conversation, "Anyway, do you mind if..." Tali turned only to find Marcus drifting off to sleep.

"Shepard? Are you betting bored of listening to me? Or are you tired?" she said loud enough to make Marcus jump out of the seat.

"Oh sorry. Your voice is just so...soothing."  _Please let her take that the wrong way._

"Um...thanks. I think." Tali responded.  _Keelah, this is awkward. Need to find a way out._ To make matters worse, she felt Marcus' hips pressing into hers as he drifted off. Her face lit up like a oven and she immediately slid into a chair nearby, trying to keep her distance before she unnessacarily rips her mask off and kisses him.  _This crush is pathetic. A relationship with Peta could work better._

She regretted that thought.  _Relationship? Peta? Me? Could those words even belong in a sentence let alone actually happen? No. Just...no. I need to change this subject and fast._ Luckily, Marcus had the same plans.

"Well, I'm going to bed. I'm tired and need the few hours of rest. I hope you...find a solution to your problem." With that, Marcus retreated to his cabin. Without looking back, he slapped the door control and ran in, slamming it again to close the door before backing up into the wall.

_What...the...fuck. That was awkward. How can an army of geth not destroy me, but a simple quarian girl makes me melt like a six year old boy when he's punished for committing a bad thing? I need to sort this out._

_Romance doesn't belong on the battlefield._

_But does that even count anymore? What if I don't care? What if I go for it and tell her the next morning._ He decided to test the words in his mouth.

"Hey Tali, didn't know if you know this, but I have a huge crush for you." The words felt bitter in his mouth.

_This is idiotic. Romance doesn't...argh! No, that doesn't count anymore! I don't care! If I'm going to tell her that I like her, then I have to do it in a non-abrupt way. Preferably one that doesn't involve shoving the words 'Join Me In Bed' in her face...mask...whatever. Besides, how can a relationship work with her? We wouldn't even be able to do what normal couples do! Kissing, hugging...sex. Damn it, how can I be thinking of that right now!_

_My logic says no, it won't work._

_My emotions say she's the right one._

_But organics are people of emotions aren't we?_

He carefully thought out what he was going to do. Finally, he glimpsed at his desk, having given up telling her directly. But he had another idea; one that might just work. Of course, he was doing it because she needed it, but it didn't make it that much less important.

Without hesitation, he collected the items he needed and began his task.

**{Loading...}**

_June 18, 2183_

_0959 hours._

_Cargo Hold, Normandy-Class Stealth Frigate SSV Normandy SR-1, In FTL inbound for Attican Beta Cluster._

_Eden Prime War._

_Marksman Garrus Vakarian._

Obviously he had been concentrating on something or had a blindfold on, because he certainly hadn't noticed the two HUGE scorch marks on the side of the Mako. Thanks to the vehicle's armor, whatever caused the marks hadn't ripped their armor wide open. It was a simple matter of getting rid of the marks. That's where he now found himself struggling.

Sighing heavily, he returned to his tedious work of getting rid of the marks, while he felt Chief Williams' eyes gazing into his skull. He tried not to growl in frustration and demand why she was looking at him as if he was a geth, and ignored the human female as he continued working.

But there was only so much resistance in a man before he would finally break. This turian was hitting breaking point, and he really didn't know if Wrex was on good terms with Ashley; or if the krogan would use it as an excuse and come to the 'rescue' of the human marine. Spinning around, he faced the human.

"Is there something you need or do you insist in looking at the back of my skull?" Garrus asked angerily, seeing that Ashley was little over a meter away from him, leaning on her left hip with arms crossed. Upon seeing Garrus turning around, she attempted to retreat, but the turian wasn't letting her go. She stopped and spun back around to answer his question.

"Yeah there is something I need." Ashley declared.

"Then tell me so I can answer you and return to my work. This Mako does need scrubbing." Garrus said, pointing at the scorch marks.

"Get the fuck off my ship." Ashley demanded, stepping forward for emphasis. The turian simply held his position, crossing his arms.

"YOUR ship? Last time I checked, Shepard was in charge. If he wants me here, I'll be here. What is your problem anyway? First you try to act all nice with Tali and now you're a bitch all over again?" Garrus answered with the same hostile tone Ashley was using, albeit more forceful. The human didn't give in however.

"ACT nice? Hell, I tried my best! But talking to aliens is like trying to personificate a teddy bear! I feel like I'm growing insane! Now he brings that asari aboard! Next he'll be asking to recruit salarians! You damn aliens-" Ashley's words became nothing but a whisper as Garrus disappeared in thought, realizing who she was talking to.  _Of course._

"Is this all about the First Contact War?" Garrus interrupted her, stopping Ashley on the spot.

"What?" she asked dumbfounded, surprised the turian could see through her so easily.

"You seem to focus your hostility on me every single time! You're polite to Tali, nice to Liara when you want to be and you stay clear of Wrex, but everytime I appear its all 'let's yell down the turian' time. So I'll ask again, is this about the First Contact War?" Garrus responded, and waited as Ashley entered pensive thought.

"YES! Yes goddamn it, it is! Because of your fucking people my grandfather was forced to surrender and got my whole family blacklisted! We were military to the blood and they made us rookies permanently! I could be a commander right now, but instead I'm being lead by bloody sergeants! Do you have any idea what this feels like? To be cast aside like your existence means nothing!?"

"Yes, I do. My old C-Sec Captain treated me like that. He cast aside my opinions, turned me into his own personal pet to run his errands. He let criminals walk free and whenever I complained about 'in-justice' he'd justify it. So yes, I know exactly what it feels like." Garrus answered in kind.

"Yeah well good for fucking you. This is pointless. Just...keep your distance turian." Ashley stated before slowly backing off.

"Yeah turian, keep your distance, she might scratch you." Wrex's gruff voice came from behind them, and both of them turned to see the krogan watching from his position in the corner.

"Mind your own damn business, krogan." Ashley ordered.

"Keep quiet, pyjak. I'll talk when I want to, if I want to. Its not in your place to decide. Remember, cast aside?" Wrex chuckled at his own joke as Ashley shook her head in anger and returned to her work bench, pulling down an assault rifle that recently had taken a scorch mark and began polishing it.

When Wrex's gaze left the human and he turned back to Garrus, he saw the turian giving him a firm glare.

"What?" Wrex demanded.

"You're such an asshole." Garrus stated bluntly before turning back to his console and continuing with his work.

"I just saved your ass, ungrateful pyjak. This ship is full of idiots. I need some Ryncol." Wrex stated without a care what anyone else thought and walked into the elevator. Just as the door began to close, Fred stepped in and motioned for Wrex.

"Wait! Mr. Wrex could you please inform Shepard that the items he ordered are here!" Wrex glared down at the human.

"What am I? A messenger? Do it yourself." Wrex said, once again reaching for the control panel.

"The delivery may involve a shotgun..." Fred mumbled as he walked off and Wrex froze in place for a moment.

"Consider it done." Wrex said in almost rapidfire, something not commonly heard from the krogan, and he hit the panel again and ascended to the Crew Deck in the elevator. Garrus watched the exchange and Fred as he returned to his post.

"You cheeky bastard." Garrus said, chuckling.

"Krogan are hard to please. He must not be krogan." Fred said, both of them chuckling harder this time.

_I'm liking humans already._

Then he glanced at Ashley.

_Almost all of them._

**{Loading...}**

_June 18, 2183_

_1010 hours._

_Cockpit, Normandy-Class Stealth Frigate SSV Normandy SR-1, In FTL inbound for Attican Beta Cluster._

_Eden Prime War._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Master Chief Petty Officer Charles Pressly, Flight Lieutenant Jeff 'Joker' Moreau._

"So you're telling me your disease, Vrolik's Syndrome, it causes frail bones? That's why you can't ever leave this damn cockpit?" Marcus finally asked, and Joker gave a sigh of relief. It was about time this discussion came to an end, it was starting to hurt his bones more than standing up would.

"Exactly. Any attempt at standing up would be met with the shattering of bones and lots of internal bleeding. And yes, its completely untreatable, there is no cure. So before you ask if I can be cured, NO, I can't. Now can we drop this and move to something else? This conversation is making me very uneasy."

"Of course Joker, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable." Marcus declared and immediately turned to Pressly who seemed to be lingering on the side of the cockpit.

"Something on your mind, Pressly?" Marcus asked the navigator, who turned to acknowledge the spectre's question.

"Just thinking about Eden Prime, how we lost Jenkins and how we just saved Miss T'Soni from the same fate. What do we expect to find at Feros? According to the debrief, the colony recently came under siege from geth forces." Pressly stated.

"True. But what you didn't read is that a sizable security force posted their for a corporation called ExoGeni was stationed near the main colony; Zhu's Hope. With luck, we'll be there in three days and be able to lift the siege and push the geth off the planet."

"But what are the geth doing there in the first place? What's so interesting about a human colony in the ass-end of nowhere?" Joker spoke up.

"The colony is built ontop of a Prothean ruin. An abandoned, lost city if I heard right." Marcus informed them.

"Yeah, and the geth are totally there for the view." Joker said sarcastically.

"I agree with Joker, Commander. The geth are here for something, and it definitely ain't ruins. But what?" Pressly pondered.

"We'll find out soon enough. For now we should just take some rest, get fed in preparation for hitting Feros. If the hostile enemy count is correct, we'll have alot of resistance. Possibly armatures and more of those hoppers if we're unlucky. Keep me updated on our progress." Marcus ordered, before leaving down the flight deck.

However, upon moving down, he saw Wrex coming up and approaching the cockpit. But when he saw Marcus, he headed straight for him.

"Something you need Wrex?" Marcus asked politely as they stopped infront of each other.

"Fred wanted me to tell you that the items you requested just arrived." Wrex informed him before leaving back for the Crew Deck.

"Goody." Marcus said to noone in particular as he followed Wrex down the stairs but broke off and entered the elevator, hitting the panel and the door slid shut to begin its descent. It wasn't long before he arrived in the Cargo Hold. He immediately turned right and approached Fred.

"Got something for me, Fred?" Marcus asked the officer, and he immediately looked up at his commander, smiling.

"Certainly do sir, your new omnitools and shotgun just arrived. I also placed an extra order for a HMWSG Pistol, you know, for our quarian friend." Fred reached under the bench and pulled out the items, laying them across the table; six HMOT omnitools, a single HMWSG Master Shotgun and a single HMWSG Pistol.

"Thank you Frederics, you did good. While you're at it, could you place an order for more food rations, levo and dextro? We've been running low ever since Therum." Fred simply smiled and nodded as Marcus picked up the items and crossed the room, handing omnitools to Garrus and Ashley, and then Wrex when he finally came down. He then gave one to Tali, and then Kaidan on the upper level. He apologized to Liara for not getting one for her, but she simply said that her model was a Nexus, and was sufficient enough.

He then returned to Tali.

"Hey, Tali. Fred was nice enough to get you a new pistol." Upon hearing 'new', Tali spun around to face Marcus, who held a pistol out for her to take. She hesitated, but only for a moment as she eventually took it from Marcus' hands and tested it in her grip.

"You like it? That's a spectre's pistol right there, state-of-the-art, hasn't seen action yet. Its not like those second-hand cheap pieces of scrap you get out there." Tali simply nodded as she finished examining the pistol's glowing red lines and holstered it on her hip.

"One more thing, are you up for that sparring session at some point?" Marcus asked the quarian as she froze in her tracks.  _Ancestors, completely forgot!_

"Um...okay...sure. What...time? Today maybe?" Tali asked.

"Not today I'm afraid, work to do, reports to finish up. How about tomorrow let's say...midday, one o'clock? I've got some moves I'd like to show you that could help with your hand-to-hand combat skills."

"That sounds...great. I'll just have to ask Adams to give me a shift break at that time." Marcus smiled and for a moment both of them looked into each other's eyes. However, it didn't last long as both of them realized what they were doing.

_What the fuck was that?_

_Ancestors, what did I just do?_

Shaking themselves from their trance, they said goodbye and went back to their duties; Tali at her console, and Marcus to his cabin to finish writing up his reports.

"Tali, I've got another job for you." Adams' voice came across the room, and the young quarian turned to face the engineer as he approached.

"Yes, Adams? What would you like me to do?" Tali asked, turning her body to fully face the chief engineer as he stopped in front of her.

"There's some grime clogging up the vents and I need you to clear it out. I'd get my staff to do it but they're...too afraid to do so." Adams said with half-hearted amusement.

"Why? Its just grime." Tali asked.

"Well...they're are spiders in the vents. We humans have...arachnophobia. Its a powerful fear we have..." Adams said, half creeped out by the thought that arachnids were crawling around the ship.

"They can't be that bad. I'll go clean it out." Tali informed him and immediately pulled out a vent hatch and crawled in. Adams smiled at the quarian's bravado as he returned to his post.

"Brave girl. I just hope her suit has a portable, built-in toilet." Adams said to himself as he grinned.

**{Loading...}**

_June 17, 2183_

_1716 hours._

_Species 37 Holding Pen, Underground Facility, Zhu's Hope, Feros._

_Eden Prime War._

_Mission Parameters: Land on Feros and gain the cipher from the Thorian. The cipher should assist in piecing together the visions while Benezia interrogates the Rachni Queen on Noveria. Once the cipher is gained, order the geth to wipe out the colony. Leave no evidence of our presence here. Make sure the Thorian does not survive._

_Prophet Saren Arterius, Sovereign, Commando Captain Shiala R'Ness._

Saren sneered at the colonists as he and his geth and asari followers strode through the colony, not a single colonist opening fire on them. Up above stood Sovereign, the largest warship in existence, bearing down on the colony like a organic would an insect. The colonists gazed up at the ship in awe and shock, while a simply geth battlegroup circled the ship, with a single frigate having already broken off to deal with ExoGeni Headquarters.

Numerous geth platforms; mostly trooper class and asari commandos lead by Shiala moved alongside them, making sure the colonists didn't try anything. Saren simply ignored Sovereign's servants as he moved towards his main objective; the freighter that covered the the facility he had to gain access to.

It wasn't long before he had reached the freighter and stood beside it. A strong pain tried to enter Saren's mind.

_**You bring your machine servants to apprehend me, to learn what I know, to gain the cipher of which the protheans I consumed held so very long ago. You are foolish. You will be mine to control.** _

**ORGANIC. YOUR ATTEMPTS ARE FRAIL. MY SERVANT IS HERE TO GAIN THE CIPHER IN WHICH YOUR INFERIOR FORM POSSESSES. YOU WILL GRANT ACCESS, OR FACE ANNILIHATION LIKE YOUR ILK. YOUR FELLOW THORIANS DID NOT SURVIVE THE HARVEST, AND YOU WILL NOT EITHER IF THE CIPHER IS NOT SURRENDERED.**

_**And so enters the voice of the machine-destroyers. The ones who's numbers darkened the skies and exterminated all that was alive. You're bringers of destruction, you are the reason my people no longer exist. The cipher will be yours, but at a cost. Enter at your own discretion.** _

With that, the Thorian ordered one of its own servants, a colonist, to lift the freighter, revealing the facility entrance below. Saren motioned for his troops to follow, and together they journeyed into the darkness that was the Thorian's cage.

It didn't take long to traverse the vast staircase that descended into the Thorian's prison, and finally he and his servants arrived in the hidden facility. It was run down and dirty, the walls looking like ancient stone carvings, while the floor was a haphazard mess. The stairs were close to complete collapse, while many of the stone support columns looked so aged, they could fall apart. The facility was a like a spire; a circular tower with numerous levels and the one goal in the middle; the Thorian itself.

It was a huge, ugly creature, very plant-like in its appearence. It had four slits for eyes on its face, while tentacle like appendages dripped from the bottom of its 'head', with the mouth inside the tangled mess. The creature was a huge blop of biomass, with numerous huge appendages sticking out and grasping onto the sides of the tower like arms. It was a sicky green in color, while liquid of mutual color dripped from its mouth and collected in a sickly color on the ground.

All around the room, green sacs stuck to the walls while green, humanoid forms lay on the ground, arms curled up in a fetal positions, thousands of them all over the room. He ignored them as he stopped a few meters away from the Thorian.

"These creatures...look human." Shiala commented, but the asari was ignored as Saren began to speak.

"You hold the cipher, something of which I need, but you also mentioned a price. Name it, and you shall have it. But no tricks, or Sovereign will not hesitate in using its monstrous power to destroy this place."

_**Your threats ring hollow, young reptile. You speak of authority, yet you old no wisdom. I have lived millions of years, watched as civilizations rose and fell, only for my people; the Thorian, to thrive. We would consume them, absorb their knowledge. It is this knowledge in wish you seek, and you are correct, I require something in return. Something in which this old growth needs.** _

"As I said, name it, and do it quickly. Sovereign is not one who values patience." Saren demanded, watching the giant plant with a weary eye.

_**A sacrifice.** _

Saren stood their with a wide-eyed expression.  _A sacrifice? But of what kind?_

"Elaborate." Saren ordered.

_**One of you must surrender your form to become a part of me, so I may consume its knowledge for other cycles to come. The Reapers will come, and they will consume all of you, but I shall make sure your knowledge is not wasted. Upon that sacrifice, I will meld with your mind and with that meld, I shall give you the cipher.** _

Saren nodded, understanding the creature's intentions. He looked around the room. A geth platform wouldn't work, so that left the asari.

"I will do it sir." Shiala stood forward, dropping her assault rifle. Saren nodded and motioned for Shiala to step forward and towards the Thorian's mouth. Before she could second-guess, the Thorian's tentacles wrapped around the asari and consumed her, her body disappearing inside the mass. Saren's world suddenly was filled with the visions, and he watched as the thorian inserted the cipher into his mind.

The process proved to be fast but agonizing, but it worked, and Saren finally understood the visions completely, recognizing Ilos.  _So now we just need to locate the Mu Relay so we can get there._

_**You now have the cipher and I have gained the knowledge of the asari sacrifice. Now leave and let me be at peace.** _

"That won't be happening. Your species should have died out last cycle," Saren turned to his geth and asari minions, "Destroy this place and the rest of the colony, leave no survivors. Tell our frigate to kill all ExoGeni employees, no survivors." With that, Saren turned to leave the facility, only to hear the Thorian give an inhumane screech.

_**HOW DARE YOU DEFY ME. I WILL NOT BE DESTROYED LIKE THIS.** _

Before anyone knew what the thorian meant, they watched as the disgusting humanoid forms exited their fetal positions and turned to face the group. Saren wanted to vomit at the sight. They had once been humans, but their bodies had been changed. Their skin had been peeled away, leaving their muscles which were now a sickly green. The area where their eyes had once been had been gorged out leaving nothing but black, lifeless holes.

The Thorian's adjutants stormed towards them, their sheer numbers becoming overwhelming. The first victim was one of the unlucky commandos, where she tried to take one out with a biotic punch but instead got a face-full of acid; the creature puking it from its mouth like vomit. The asari screamed in agony as the acid ruined her features and let her face a melted husk.

The geth followed suit, with the acid burning their circuitry and destroying their optics. Saren's body pulsed with biotic energy as he used throw and warp to keep the creepers at bay and allowed him to escape. The rest of his team weren't so lucky; with only three troopers of the ten troopers and six asari making it out alive.

They managed to escape the facility just as the freighter closed again, and Saren felt himself picked up off the ground and thrown into the ground as one of the asari colonists attacked him. The other colonists followed suit, but Saren simply repelled their pathetic attacks with biotic barriers and he continued running until picked up by Sovereign and taken off world.

**ALLOW THE INFERIOR MACHINES TO DEAL WITH THE COLONY. WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED, NOW WE ONLY NEED THE ASARI TO FINISH HER MISSION AND ACQUIRE THE INFORMATION WE NEED.**

"She'll get it done Sovereign."

"Then Operation: Harvest can begin."

**"Seems like one of those fucked up moments. I guess Feros was pretty scarring."**

**\- Carter Dielheart.**

**"It wasn't so much as scarring as it was creepy. Those Thorian Creepers gave us a run for our money. But to know that, that plant-thing controlled the whole colony- that was scary."**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001**

**"I'm sure it was. And what about Shepard's relationship with Tali'Zorah?"**

**\- Carter Dielheart.**

**"I don't see why that fascinates you so much. What is it you really want? Dating advice?"**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001.**

**"Just answer the fucking question. Its a matter of colonial security."**

**\- Carter Dielheart.**

**"You think I'm retarded? I doubt that the relationship of a dead man has anything to do with colonial security."**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001.**

**"It does when Terra Firma is on the brink of war with Rannoch."**

**\- Carter Dielheart.**

_**Author's Notes:** _

_**Anyone played Crysis 3? If you haven't, GET IT, the campaign was amazing! The ending is fantastic and the story is really good. I recommend it.** _

_**And I haven't forgotten about Mass Effect 3 How It Could Have Happened, its just I've gotten caught up in alot of things. That fanfic is by no means dead. If it was, you'd know about it.** _

_**To signify how satisfied I am with Crysis 3, I will be writing a one-shot fanfic on Crysis and on the events following Crysis 3. Do not read it if you haven't finished the game, as it will contain spoilers.** _

_**Now if you don't mind, I think I might risk Crysis 3 on Supersoldier difficulty. Wish me luck!** _

_**;)** _


	12. The Spark That Lights The Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard tries to tell Tali how he feels. A shadowy organization watches the Normandy. Liara doesn't know how to express her own feelings for Shepard.

**ENIGMA**

**CHAPTER TEN:**

**THE SPARK THAT LIGHTS THE FIRE**

_June 19, 2183_

_1304 hours._

_Captain's Cabin, Normandy-Class Stealth Frigate SSV Normandy SR-1, Attican Beta Cluster, In FTL inbound for Feros._

_Eden Prime War._

_Lieutenant Commander Marcus Lee Shepard, Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya._

And so he anxiously paced around the cabin, eagerly awaiting Tali.  _How do I tell her? Do I just give her the device and call it quits or do I give her the device AND tell her I like her? Come on, think! You're an unstoppable soldier and all of a sudden a girl makes you feel like some kind of defeatist. And is it just me, or is it hot in here?_

Marcus suddenly stopped and his eyes scanned the room, looking for the source of the heat. They were in space, so the ship was cold most of the time, making aircons redundant and unnessacary. When he finally stopped looking around his cabin and thought about it for a second, he realized HE was the source of the heat.  _Oh that's just wonderful..._

Before he could fall onto the ground in hyperventilation, he heard a knock on the door. He stiffened up.  _Okay, okay, okay. Let's do this. Act professional, then drop the bomb later on. Tell her that...tell her nothing! Just...stay calm and you'll figure something out. Anderson said I have a way with words. Hopefully he's not wrong._

Taking a deep breath, he turned towards the door. "Enter" he said clearly, and the door slid open to show the young quarian standing in the doorway. Her gaze immediately fell straight on the Commander and she blushed under her mask. "Keelah..." Marcus frowned and looked at her with an awkward look.

"What?"

"You're...um...uh...sort've...got no shirt on..." Tali stammered.

Looking down, Marcus noticed she was right. All he had on was simple pants.  _Great, you fucked up already you dumbass._ Quickly and swifty, Marcus moved through his dresser, looking for a shirt. When he found it, he slipped it on and returned to where Tali was still nervously standing, wringing her fingers.

"Sorry about that. So, you ready?" The spectre asked the quarian, and she seemed to stop for a moment before turning to face him, "Commander, I've been meaning to tell you something, its...sort of important."  _Yes girl, just tell him. Face the rejection and get it over with. Better to know now then never._

"I'm all ears." Marcus said and upon seeing Tali cock her head in confusion he sighed and nodded for her to continue.

"Well...I sorta...I...ah...um...,"  _JUST SAY IT,_ "You know what, forget it, its not important."  _I can't do this. I can't just drop this on him. What if he gets angry or creeped out and orders me to leave the ship? I can't do this. I just can't..._

"Are you sure? It does sound important." Marcus asked again.

"I'm sure. Now, can we begin training?" Tali asked, trying to change the subject from her close admission.

"Of course. First I'm going to teach you some basic maneveurs. I know these'll be useless against geth, but it never hurts to have them just in case. As the old human saying goes, 'Better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it.'"

"A wise idiom." Was Tali's only response as they immediately jumped into their training.

Four hours later, and Marcus sat on his bed, dripping with sweat. Tali leaned against the wall and slid down to the ground, annoyed that she couldn't wipe the sweat from her face. Instead, she activated her persperation disposer and let it do the slow work. During those four hours, they had learned basic and advanced fighting moves, ranging from punches and blocks, to knife defense and kicks.

By the end of the session, she had left Marcus with multiple, minor bruises, which he simply shrugged off, congratulating her instead of chastising her.

"Well...Tali...that was...excellent. You certainly...know how to...kick. My ribcage...really...hurts." Marcus said, trying to chuckle through his clenched teeth.

"I'm so sorry, Commander. I didn't mean to." Tali apologized, sounding ashamed of herself.

"Don't be. I was congratulating you. Besides if I couldn't take a simple quarian kick to the ribcage then what kind of soldier would I be now, hmmm?" Marcus joked.

Tali giggled, "I guess you would be a pretty poor soldier." Tali then exaggerated her exhaustion by pretending to not fall asleep.

"Hey, you're not falling asleep here. You have a sleeper pod you know."  _Thank god my idiotic brain didn't suggest the bed. MY bed. But do I still want to tell her how I feel? Besides, how the hell am I developing a crush for the girl so quickly? I barely know her! But I guess there are those hips, then that sexy accent...AH! Your getting off track! Just tell her already!_

"Then I guess I'll go then." Tali declared before getting back up.

"No! Wait...I...I have something I want to give you." Marcus pleaded. Tali turned away from the door she was about to leave through and turned towards Marcus as he went to his desk to retrieve the item. When he returned, he motioned for her to open her hands. She did as asked, and a small, humming object dropped into her palm.

"What's this?" Tali asked, examining the item.

"A buzzer. You press this button and it makes a loud humming noise." Marcus explained, pointing at the red button on the side of the rectangular object.

"Thank you but...what's it for?" Tali asked, turning to look at Marcus now.

"Its...I thought it'd...help you sleep. You can't sleep in the quiet so I thought I'd...well...help you sleep using noise." Marcus explained further, and Tali nodded her head in realization.

"You really didn't have to..." Tali didn't get to finish as Marcus placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Tali...there's something else I must tell you."

Tali's heart stopped in her chest.  _Keelah, what? Have I done something wrong? Was it my outburst at Pressly for his racist comment? Did I endanger someone on Therum or am I becoming a liability? Ancestors help me!_

"Y-Y-Yes?" Tali stuttered.

Marcus frowned.  _Its now or never. Do it. Now._

"I like you." Marcus shot out.

"Um...well thanks." Tali said, sighing in relief.

"No I mean...I like you. Like ALOT. As in...um...ever heard of romance?" Marcus asked, and Tali's look, even through the mask, could be recognized as shock, "Yeah, I like you in that kind of way."

Tali felt like she'd faint. Completely offguard.  _Did he...just say that? No, this is a dream! Wait, if this were a dream, I wouldn't have felt his punches connecting. No, not a dream. But he couldn't have just said that! He has Ashley, Liara, so many women to choose from! Why go for someone who's face he can never see?_

Tali gently shifted against Marcus' shoulder, and he let it drop to his side, allowing Tali to backup. Tali was just plain shocked. She had no idea what to do with herself. To think her feelings for the Spectre were being reciprocated.  _No...this can't work. It won't work. I'm quarian, he's human. All I could is sit in his lap while he kisses my mask. We can't do what he could do with other humans. I won't let his future happiness be blocked by my selfishness. He needs to forget about me. I'll just give him some space._

"I-I-I need to go. I'll-I'll be in engineering." Tali then gripped the device hard in her fist and shot out the door, heading for the elevator as fast as she could manage.

Marcus was just left standing there, watching the doors close behind the long gone quarian.

_Great, I fucked up. Now you've creeped out your crew._

With that, Marcus turned around and kicked the side of the bed in anger before falling into it, face first.

**{Loading...}**

_June 19, 2183_

_1715 hours._

_'Humanity's Sanctum', Upper Facilty, Cronos Station, Anadius System._

_Eden Prime War._

_The Illusive Man, First Lieutenant Miranda Lawson._

"Sir, I have the dossier." Came Miranda's voice from behind him.

Jack Harper, or as the alliance dubbed him, 'the Illusive Man', continued stare blankly into the gigantic, pulsing yellow star of Anadius, the station orbitting the giant sun. He took the cigarette from his mouth and puffed it before lowering it back into the bowel where he snuffed out the flame on the end of it.

Reaching out his right hand, he took the datapad from his second-in-command and lowered it to get a better look. The Dossier of Marcus Lee Shepard. The man had interested him quite alot; he was a shining beacon to the galaxy of what humanity was capable of. His battle at Elysium and Torfan proved to be what made Shepard such a tough soldier.

Cerberus was in desperate need of men like him. Men who would do anything to protect humanity. And that was exactly what Cerberus was about; humanity. Cerberus was humanity's right hand; taking out and destroying the enemy's of mankind. They were humanity's vanguard.

"Excellent, Miss Lawson. I want Shepard's ship tagged and tracked. I want to know what he's up to and if possible, recruit him. He will be useful in the fight against the geth. They cannot be allowed to win." Illusive finished by picking up his cup of whiskey and sipping it gently, while Miranda relieved the datapad of his grip and left.

"Yes sir. Would you like me to get ahold of Operative Taylor?" Miranda asked as she stood ready to leave.

"If possible, yes. If not, then allow him to report in when he sees the need. If he doesn't report in within the next 48 hours, then attempt contact. Failing that, send in commandos. Jacob's work is very dangerous and I don't expect him to come out without being spotted. Just be alert, Miss Lawson. Dismissed." With that, Miranda nodded and left the room, door closing behind her.

Without even glancing behind him, Illusive smiled as he let the cup rest back on the cradle to his right, moving to pick up his cigarette again as his right hand activated the forward interface and began scrolling through Shepard's crew dossiers.

_Let's take a look at the people you recruit._

**{Loading...}**

_June 19, 2183_

_1312 hours._

_Engineering, Normandy-Class Stealth Frigate SSV Normandy SR-1, Attican Beta Cluster, In FTL inbound for Feros._

_Eden Prime War._

_Machinist Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Chief Engineer Gregory Adams._

_I can't believe it. He actually...likes me. I didn't think...keelah, you fool, it couldn't never work out so forget it. Besides, he'll forget about you minutes later and then start flirting with Ashley, or even Liara! Its just like what you've got...a foolish crush that can never work. I can never have him and he can't have me...its impossible._

Tali tried desperately to work, but finding work was impossible in her current state. Her mind was still running over the events of what happened minutes before; how Commander Shepard, the Lion of Elysium, and admitted to having a crush on her. It was impossible to believe, but it had happened. She was now in a state of confusion on whether she should come out with the truth and reveal that she thought the same and attempt a working relationship, or if she should just tell him that they should keep it 'professional.'

Problem was, her body and heart wanted him badly. Her mind wanted him badly, but was focusing on the logic of it being impossible. Her mind was right, and all she faced now was accepting that. But her heart and body weren't easy to defeat.

Luckily, the sound of her beeping omnitool saved her from having to do that. Opening the glowing tool, she saw a message from her father. She opened the message to read it.

_To: Pilgrim Tali'Zorah nar Rayya._

_From: Admiral Rael'Zorah vas Huzzi_

_Subject: Re: My pilgrimage._

_Settle down girl and listen. Your pilgrimage isn't some kind of adventure. You have a duty to your people so don't let some human vessel get the better of you. Just watch yourself, aliens can't be trusted._

_It is unfortunate to hear about the death of Keenah'Butras, but I'm sure you will not need him to complete your duty to the quarian people. Stay strong Tali'Zorah, Clan Zorah is watching you. Weakness will not be tolerated, not by me, or the admiralty._

_Stay safe, Pilgrim._

_Keelah Se'lai._

_From: Admiral Rael'Zorah vas Huzzi_

_To: Pilgrim Tali'Zorah nar Rayya_

Tali's body drooped in disappointment. She had been an idiot. She had thought that her father would be happy for her; she thought he'd support her and urge her on, motivate her to make new friends with the outside galaxy and to complete her pilgrimage by helping Shepard. But then she had forgotten just who her father was.

Rude, arrogant and a complete bosh'tet. He hadn't even bothered to acknowledge her simply calling her 'pilgrim' like she wasn't even family. It was times like these that made Tali miss her mother even more, to simply collapse in Meru's arms as she wept. Now she was alone, far from her people, and onboard a vessel with so many aliens.

 _Let that bosh'tet spout. I'm sick of his arrogance. I'll show him. As his daughter and a proud member of Clan Zorah...I'll show him._ Sighing, Tali tried to return to work but found that she had none to start with and approached Adams to find work.

"Hey quarian, you're Tali right?" Tali stopped at the sound of the male voice and turned to see Kaidan approaching her from engineering's left wing door.

"Yes, that's me. Something you need?" The quarian asked.

"Nothing, I just wanted to talk. Better to do it the Mess Hall though." Kaidan stated.

"I can't. My shift's not-" Tali was about to continue, but Adams interrupted her.

"Go on Tali, take a break. Be back in an hour."

"Thank you, Adams," Tali thanked, and then turned back to Kaidan, "Okay, let's go." With that, Tali followed Kaidan out of engineering and onto the elevator, which took them up to the Crew Deck where they stepped out again.

"So how's it feel to be working with a non-quarian crew?" Kaidan finally asked as they moved to sit at the main table.

"Pretty interesting. I'm quite home sick, but I'm still quite shocked over how most of the crew is treating me. Its like I'm not even quarian." Tali stated a-matter-of-factly.

"Its quite sad to watch your people get treated like that. And to think its just because of a few of your people who actually are beggars and thieves that you find yourself in that situation. But don't worry, with Shepard here, racism has no place. Except if your a volus, he hates volus." Kaidan said, chuckling.

Tali laughed as well, "I can't say I'm fond of them either. Volus are the ones that hate my people the most."

"Really? Then I guess its a good thing that you have Shepard to protect eh?" Kaidan stated, smiling.

"Yeah.." Tali then drifted off, thinking of Shepard. She had to shake it off. It was never going to happen, and thinking about it wouldn't help.

"You like him, don't you?" Came Kaidan's voice, and Tali was immediately shaken out of her thoughts.

"What?" Tali asked, shocked and hoping that he didn't mean EXACTLY what she thought he did.

"You like him. I've seen the way the mention of his name affects you, how his presence makes you feel. You have a crush for him?" Kaidan declared, and Tali finally sighed and let her shoulders droop.

"Yes." Tali said simply.

"Why haven't you made a move yet? He likes you, I can tell. He just told me a few minutes ago to confirm it. Although I'm not the man to ask about how to sweettalk women." Kaidan stated.

"I know but its never...wait, he called you? As in, told you about..." Tali drifted off, hoping that Kaidan caught on. To her relief, he did.

"Yeah. Told me everything. Feels like he fucked up and wants to make amends. He wanted to apologize for dropping that on you but he wanted to get it all out, see what you thought of it. I didn't tell him, but it's obvious you feel the same." Kaidan, leaning in as he said the last line.

"Yes, I do. Keelah, only the ancestors know how badly. But, it just couldn't work. I'm a quarian. Leaving my suit would kill me. A single kiss could put me in the hospital. Its just...it can't work, no matter how much I want him. I want him to be happy with someone...he can't do that with me." Tali said, unwillingly adding melancholy in her tone. She felt like crying, but that would just be childish and make her look weak.

"Love's a bitch, isn't it?" Kaidan asked bluntly. Tali nodded slightly.

"I once loved a girl once. Back when I was in BAaT; a girl named Rahna. We were friends, mostly, and it was obvious she wasn't willing to push past the friendzone with me. But you know what?" Kaidan asked.

"W-what?" Tali answered with another question.

"I still loved her. That's the beauty of the emotion; impossibility, logic, both of them have no affect on love unless you want them to. They simply get in the way. And when you conquer them and sweep them aside, your left with your goal; the person you love. So my point is, no matter how much I knew that Rahna would never love me back, I loved her, and that was all that mattered to me."

"But that's different. She wasn't trapped inside a-" Tali began, but was once again interrupted.

"It may be physically different, but when you look at it closely, you realize there is no difference, Tali. Sure you're stuck in a suit, but is that stopping you from loving him?" Kaidan responded.

"I don't love him, I have a stupid girly crush for him..." Tali corrected.

"You know what a crush is? Its just love without a basis. I've seen how you look at him Tali, and you're only deluding yourself if you say you don't love him. Don't let that stupid suit crush your dreams. Have you heard of a movie called Fleet and Flotilla?"

"Fleet and...how is this relevant?" Tali asked rather rudely.

"Just answer the question." Kaidan responded equally.

"I-Yes, I have heard it of it, but haven't seen it." Tali answered.

"So you know it's about a romance between a turian and quarian. Well, the quarian loved the turian very much, and to show him, she did her best to show that to him. Thus, taking off the suit. Tali, I know damn well that you know they're are ways to get out of that suit without automatically dying of heart failure."

Tali opened her mouth to retort that, but no words came. Why? Because he was right. If the quarians couldn't get out of the their own suits, they would have died out long ago. Tali had been so caught up in her depression that she had been ignoring all forms of optimism.

"I-I-I hadn't considered that. I...thank you Kaidan but...why me? Why not Ashley or Liara? Wouldn't they be more logical choices to fall for? I mean, he tells me he's in love with a woman who's face he hasn't even seen yet?"

Tali's heart stopped. Her face. Noone had seen it except Shala and Meru, and that had only been when she was a baby. Her father refused to share any moments with her without their masks, and the only time a grown woman would show her face to anyone would either be when they were spending quiet time with their unionmate, or when...they... _Keelah, showing my face...I haven't done that to anyone. Not my own family, but I'm willing to show it to Shepard. I care that much for him? Am I...beginning the bonding process? No, for that to happen he'd have to reciprocate the feelings I have._

"Kaidan-I know I shouldn't be asking you of all people this but...how do I tell him? How do I tell him how I feel?" Tali asked the alliance sentinel, curious as to his opinion on this. Tali would have to tell Shepard eventually, hell, she didn't even know his first name, but asking Kaidan for some advice would definitely help make it less awkward.

"That bit I can't help you with Tali. That's all up to you. I've helped you overcome your doubts, you just have to let the word out. Best wait until after the Feros mission though. I don't think Shepard will appreciate having to deal with that and thinking about you. Just saying. Anyway, got to get back to it, and I bet you do to. See you around." Kaidan declared, moving to stand up.

Tali stoop up too and held out her hand to the human, "Kaidan...thank you."

Kaidan smiled and took her hand, shaking it, "Don't thank me, thank yourself. I just guided you, your mind did the rest." Without elaborating what he meant, Kaidan left the table and returned to his post near the Captain's Quarters, whistling as he went.

Tali smiled and moved towards the elevator.

_Thank you mum. If you're out there, thank you so much. Now the awkward part; telling him._

From a couple of meters away, a curious asari stood watching the quarian as her petite form disappeared behind the elevator door.

_Goddess, looks like I'll have some competition._

**{Loading...}**

_June 19, 2183_

_2114 hours._

_Main Laboratory, Kowloon-Class Modular Conveyor MSV Fedele, Kepler Verge Cluster, Herschel System._

_Eden Prime War._

_Doctor Saleon Yules 'Doctor Untaav Heart.'_

The salarian named Saleon Yules sighed and leaned back in his seat as he studied the numerous monitors surrounding his lab. Vital signs were deadbeat, heart rate gone and neural stability disintegrating fast. Another test subject dead to his experiments, this time a human, but he had successfully cloned his lungs, liver, kidneys and genitals; all available now to sell to his client.

_Who's next._

Hitting the button for the conveyor line, he found the next subject was a krogan. Saleon smiled at this prospect, as krogan organs were very valuable, and was about to start his new work only to have his communicator interrupt him.

"Saleon sir, we've got a new shipment ready to come aboard. I think you'll like this one." Came his brother's voice, Jaroth. Saleon smiled at Jaroth's last bit of sentence, as when his brother said he was going to like something, he meant it.

"What do you have, brother?" Saleon asked through the communicator.

"Asari, more humans, more krogan, more salarians and of course...I managed to capture two quarians on pilgrimage..." Jaroth ended with a devious smile, "One male, one female. Perfect couple, don't you think?"

"Yes, having their organs cut out should be very romantic," Saleon said dryly, "Just get them over here Jaroth, I don't have time to waste while C-Sec play with their dicks. Get the bodies over to storage. Prepare them for gasing. I think I'll operate on these ones without an anesthetic. I've always wanted to hear a quarian scream. Now I get the chance."

"Just remember the deal, brother. Eclipse won't accept trickery. Just get me the credits you promised." Jaroth responded, no venom in his voice.

"Quit worrying Jaroth, you will get your well-earned creds in due time. Just have your goons do their job. And if you could collect more quarians, I'd be more than grateful."

"Quarians are hard to come by, they mostly keep to themselves. But I'll see what I can do. Maybe if I could get a few to uh, give me private access to the Migrant Fleet...What would you think of some admiral's organs?" Jaroth stated with a smirk creasing his lips.

"Sounds delicious. Do what you can, Saleon out." With that, Saleon deactivated his comm and was about to return to work when another voice entered his comm, "Sir, incoming transmission, unknown designation."

"Tell them they can wait. I'm in the middle of an experiment."

This time, a more intimidating voice answered, "Your experiment won't last very long if one of my cruisers decides they want to use the Fedele as target practise, Doctor." Saleon noticed the voice was on ship-wide comms and tuned his communicator to listen in.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

"Who we are is not important, what we stand for is another matter. You can call me Operative Reinburg. I've noticed you're flash cloning organs doctor, and we were wondering if you'd like a different way of earning creds. Something that involves a little...spying?" Reinburg stated.

"Spying? Look I'm not..."

"You either take the job or you can introduce yourself to the Fedele's debris field. I have two stealth corvettes trailing your brother's freighter and three more surrounding the Fedele. Now, you either spy for us, or you can die a slow death in space. Take your pick, salarian, make a wise one. You're a salarian afterall." Reinburg finished with what sounded like smugness in his voice.

"I-okay, who do you want me to spy on?" Saleon asked.

"Its an Alliance vessel. Ever heard of the SSV Normandy?"

**{Loading...}**

_June 17, 2183_

_1726 hours._

_Main Offices, ExoGeni Headquarters, Prothean Skyline, Feros._

_Eden Prime War, Battle of Feros._

_ExoGeni Executive Elizabeth Jari Baynham, ExoGeni Minor Thomas Gregson._

Scared. Lizbeth was scared. She had never been so frightened her entire life. Mercenaries attacking were one thing, but an army of geth spearheaded by a geth frigate bombardment was a whole different thing. Geth soldiers were swarming the facility, with the frigate having attached itself to the structure's upper half.

Now she was hiding in the main offices with her colleague, Tommy, the place long abandoned after the evacuation alert. She didn't know how many people made it out in time, but due to the enemy that was attacking, it was highly likely that noone made it out. Why was she here? She had to warn the colonial authority and warn them about the geth assault. That...and Species 37.

"We should just run, Miss Baynham! We should just run and hide!" Tom pleaded with her, but his objections full on deaf ears. Tommy had always been a nervous lad; a kid with problems, mostly ADHD, but was brilliant, yet shy. He was her assistant and a huge pacifist, despising violence in every way shape or form. He even went as far as to reject defending himself; a geth had him cornered and an assault rifle nearby could have saved him. Instead, a security officer sacrificed herself to have him.

And now they were here. In the biggest fight of their lives. She turned to face Tom slowly; any sudden movements would alert the geth to their presence and the machines would surely kill them. As far as she knew, the synthetics had taken full control of the building and were setting up fortifications. She whispered.

"Run? Hide? Are you crazy! These are machines, they'll find us and kill us just like every other poor bastard in this place! Our best chance is to warn the colonial authority and hope to god they send reinforcements or a fleet! We need to warn them!"

Tom got the point and kept his mouth closed, shutting down any particular retorts he originally had cooked up. Turning to face up ahead again, they moved forward slowly; their boots marking the ground with every step as they moved forward. It wasn't long before Lizbeth had reached her desk and was typing into her terminal. So far, no mechanical whirring came to investigate.

"Tom, keep a look out. This won't take a minute." Tom did as told, scanning the room with his eyes while also seemingly touching every thing he could find and muttering to himself. Liz simply ignored him and continued typing into her terminal until the voice message came up.

"Hello? This is employee Elizabeth J. Baynham of the ExoGeni Corporation, does anybody read?" Liz waited for a few seconds. She was well rewarded.

"We hear you, Miss Baynham, this is the SACA, what's your-" Liz gasped suddenly when the terminal shut down and every major power source in the building went offline. Sparks showered from overhead power cables as power was shifted to another power source.

"Tom, we have to go, now-" Liz didn't get to finish as more geth flooded into the room. Taking her chances, she grabbed Tom's arm and entered a full sprint across the room, ignoring the terminal she dropped on the ground. The geth opened fire, but luckily they were outside the office before they could hit them. But she didn't stop running.

Lizbeth continued to run and run and run until she finally found a flight of stairs. She didn't stop running until she was on the bottom level where the geth surely wouldn't find them; the parking lot and drive through. The place was a mess; destroyed aircars were left scattered across the area, fires raging to and from the left and right side, with dead employees lying all over the place.

Bits of steel road poked up from the ground, while fires raged under their dead hulk. The numerous doors in the area were either active, unactive or malfunctioning as they tried to shut, but were jammed. Luckily, there was a large destroyed airtruck briming with flames, so she took Tom and hid behind it, finding a dead security guard and his standard issue judgment pistol. Picking it up, she stayed infront of Tom to protect him.

The next thing to happen scared the crap out of her; a low, guttural growl. One that was primal, recognizable and scared the shit out of her. She didn't even dare to turn around as she felt the beast's foul breath on the back of her neck, hearing the repulsive sound of saliva dripping from razor sharp fangs. It barked.

Behind her, ready to pounce, was a Varren.

The beasts were like the galactic parody of dogs back on Earth. But only a fool, or a krogan, would utilize a varren as a pet. The animals were a dark grey color with no fur, being more reptillian, while they had a pair of large beady eyes, razor sharp canine teeth and a small tail. They were four legged and fast, not to mention utterly disgusting but most of all; scary.

She heard the varren pounce and she closed her eyes. But instead of hearing her own screams of agony as the beast sliced its teeth into her, she heard Tom's. Turning around, she watched as the Varren's teeth sunk deeply into Tom's body, the animal tossing him about like a rag doll. Tom screamed and yelled in pure pain and agony, his eyes begging Liz to save him. The varren simply dragged him away into a room nearby, where she heard more hungry growls.

The varren were hungry, and Tom was their lunch.

So Liz did the most cowardly thing possible; she got up and RAN. She didn't even turn around, she just continued running and running, not breaking her sprint to look back. Behind her she heard the sound of the varren eating Tom alive; his screams of pain filling her head as she held back tears. She could have at least shot and killed Tom to spare him the pain of being eaten alive; but she didn't even do that.

It wasn't long before she finally escaped the screams and found herself in another tunnel, hiding behind a destroyed car. Leaning back into the side of the car, she slid onto the ground and sighed a heavy sigh as she dropped the pistol onto the ground.

Then she started crying.

**{Loading...}**

_June 19, 2183_

_2459 hours._

_Sleeper Chambers, Normandy-Class Stealth Frigate SSV Normandy SR-1, Attican Beta Cluster, In FTL inbound for Feros._

_Eden Prime War._

_Prothean Researcher Liara T'Soni._

"You see this, little wing?" Liara turned to the source of the voice and looked up to see it was her mother, Benezia. Liara turned to acknowledge her mother's words, and looked up at the giant structure called the Temple of Athame. She was back in her home city, Armali, the capital of Thessia, the asari homeworld. The temple followed asari design; nice, sleek and beautiful, covered in a purple/gold outline.

"Yes mum." Liara responded, her voice that of when she was just a toddler; no more than 54 years old.

"This is the Temple of Athame. This is where all asari worship the goddess Athame, our savior, our protector. She gave us life, distinction and a reason to live. She breathed it all into us. It is part of our glorious existence. That is why we embrace her eternity." Benezia explained, letting her child's eyes roam over the large structure the asari called their place of worship.

Liara smiled at the sound of her mother's kind voice, full of a sweetness that the young asari had taken for granted. Liara, mentally, lost that smile. The Benezia she knew now was nothing like the old Benezia; if what Shepard said was true, and Benezia really was working for Saren, then she had changed majorly, and definitely not for the better.

She watched as Benezia's smile disappeared from her face and her hand suddenly lashed out; wrapping itself around her neck. Liara struggled as she watched Benezia's face crease into one of pure loathing and hatred. Gone was the sweet and kind Benezia, here was a monster and furious matriarch. She watched as Benezia lifted her bioticly powered fist and brought it down on Liara's face. She could only scream.

Liara's eyes suddenly shot open, looking around through the glass of the sleeper pod. She sighed in relief. It had just been a dream, of course it was. Liara was a hundred and six years old and not dead. But the look on Benezia's face had really scared her. It made her afraid.

Knowing she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, she hit the panel for the sleeper pod and it lifted open, allowing Liara to step out of the cramped pod and onto the silent deck of the Crew Deck. It was quiet, peaceful and most of all; empty. It was the perfect place for the asari to relax and be alone with her thoughts. Hitting the panel again, she watched the door slide closed and began moving down towards the mess hall.

She passed Garrus, Kaidan, Ashley, Pressly, Chakwas and the other's numerous sleeper pods, ignoring them and allowing them to sleep. But then she came across one particular pod, one that made her jealous; Tali's. Why did this make her jealous? It made her jealous because Tali, like herself, was out for Shepard's attention. Liara had a reason; he had saved her and shown kindness, not to mention he was incredibly sexy by asari standards. What woman wouldn't be attracted?

She couldn't to eye the slumbering form of the quarian as she slept, her breaths so low and light that not even the vocalizer picked it up, remaining turned off and dark. The only sound coming from the pod was a low, strange humming sound. A protective system in Liara clicked; a protective instinct that told her to kill Tali as she slept; slit her throat, riddle the pod with holes, pop her suit seals...

 _Goddess, how can you think those things! She's just a young girl and you want to kill her just so you can have Shepard all to yourself? Think of what Benezia would say!_ With that thought, Liara simply turned away and walked down the deck and fully into the mess hall.  _Yeah, in her current state, she'd tell me to do it. I'm nothing like her. I just need to get Shepard to notice me before Tali tries something._

Liara turned to sit down and noticed the one person sitting there that she didn't expect at all; Shepard. He was quietly working on some datapads, obviously enthralled in his work. A small smile creased the asari's lips.  _Now's my chance._ Putting on her best act, she moved towards and sat down next to Shepard. He didn't notice for a second before turning to the asari and smiling.

"Hey Liara, couldn't sleep?" Marcus asked the asari, setting down the pad on the table.

"I could ask you the same thing." Liara counted, smiling back.

"I'm a Commander. Lot of work to do; I have to file out requests for food rations, medical supplies, stocking of munitions, make sure engineering has got all the stuff they need, mission funding, briefings to high command, mission briefings themselves, you guys...its hectic being the commanding officer of the galaxy's most advanced warship. It certainly isn't a walk in the park." Marcus explained.

"I can imagine." Liara shared.

Sighing, the human spectre turned back to her, "So, why are you up so early? Its very early in the morning."

"Really? What time is it?" The asari asked, not bothering to check the time when she woke up.

"More like 'what date is it.' Its June 20, 2183, one o'clock in the morning. We're almost at Feros, ETA's a estimate of six hours until we're in full, circular orbit over the planet. Apart from me, Joker and Adams, noone should be awake until seven. So I guess you're the early bird." Marcus said, laughing, "Honestly, I expected Tali to be up first. She's an eager one. Adams likes her alot for how she takes her job so seriously."

"Early bird?" Liara asked, trying so desperately not to mention Tali.

"Human idiom. Birds are an animal back on Earth, like to wake up really early. In other words, an early bird. I really do need to explain human idioms more. Do asari use idioms?" Marcus asked, using the oppurtunity to learn more about the asari.

"We don't see a need for them. Figurative language among my people isn't common. We were prefer to speak logically and get straight to the point instead of using cryptic and metaphoric language. More effective from our point of view." Liara explained.

"That's understandable. I guess it means you spend less time figuring out what the hell the idiom means and more into the business you're conducting."

"Exactly." Liara responded.

The two continued to talk for a little bit before joined by Tali, who finally got up.

"Good morning, Tali. How did you sleep?" Marcus asked the quarian as she came to sit opposite the pair, the quarian giving Liara a sideways stare before turning to answer the commander's question.

"Great, thanks to you. That device you gave me really helped. I don't think I got the chance to thank you." Tali declared in her thanking tone.

"Don't mention it. You looked like you needed it anyway. Besides it was...uh...least I could do for someone I...um...deserves it. For someone who deserves it." Liara looked at Shepard wide-eyed. The asari's first impression of the soldier had been that he was a no-bullshit fighting type, but he had shown to be very sociable and was now stuttering.

"Uh...yeah...thank you. Listen, about..." Tali then remembered Liara was present, "Forget it. Talk about it later. It's kind of private. I'll...I'll just leave you two...to talk. I-I'll be in engineering." Tali then got out of her seat and moved towards the elevator, but Shepard stopped her, if only for a second.

"Tali, after the mission on Feros, I need to talk to you about...you know...yesterday." Tali and Shepard exchanged looks for a couple of seconds before Tali shook her head out of her trance and nodded, double timing it to the elevator. When the quarian was gone, Shepard turned back to return to his work. He noticed Liara had gotten closer.

"You know what...I need to...um...do some work in my cabin...I...I'll be there if you need me." Without a second glance, Shepard picked up his datapads and rushed into his cabin, the door sliding shut behind him.

Liara looked at the door wide-eyed before turning back to the table and felt her eyes droop. It wasn't long before sleep consumed her again, her head faceplanting into the table.

**"So things were getting heated between the two. But I guess we won't see the resolution 'till the end of the Feros mission."**

**\- Carter Dielheart.**

**"I'm sure you'll be so excited to learn the intricate workings of how they had intercourse. But unfortunately for you, I didn't watch the whole fucking thing so I guess I can't tell you. Besides, who said you had to wait until after Feros?"**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001.**

**"Why don't you tell us now?"**

**\- Carter Dielheart.**

**"Oh, but that would be spoilers..."**

**\- Interrogation Subject 001.**

_**Alert!** _

_**Mass Effect 3 How It Could Have Happened is being put on temporary hold and will be for a WHILE. I'm currently trying to overcome writer's block with both of these fanfics, but this one seems easier to overcome while HICH is taking longer than usual. I'm terribly sorry but it has to be done. Its either that, this or both, and I'd much rather this one continue. Besides, you think reading a script format is tedious? I have to WRITE it. That's a thousand times worse.** _

_**Anyway, I also have something to share. WHERE ARE YOU GUYS? You guys have dropped off the grid, and only my loyal and faithful 'TW9494' is actually keeping up with me. Noone else is reviewing. Where are you WhiteDawn? Shipwreck? Where are all of you? And Reaver, well, I can understand why he's not reviewing but the rest of you! If you're reading, please review! And please try not to just say 'nice chapter' or 'this chapter was goodness.' Let's be honest, that's as motivating as watching water droplets drop from a ceiling.** _

_**When you're reviewing, try the Reaver approach. Not nessacarily any comedy or LENGTHLY text, but at least something that helps me fix up errors. That is what reviews were meant for anyway.** _

_**Either way, I'd say like, comment and subscribe, but this isn't youtube, so I'll settle with 'Favourite, Follow and Review.'** _

_**'Definitive. Can you define that?'** _

_**WHOA!** _

_**Before I forget, I'm still looking for people to make a front cover image for Enigma.** _

_**Can't remember what I wanted it to look like, very well...** _

_**I want a image of Marcus Shepard (he has to have a beard similiar to the one Joker has in ME3), standing in front, glowing with biotics while holding his assault rifle in his left hand, his right hand curled in a fist, while Tali and Garrus stand to his sides. In the back ground, I want the faint image of Saren. How you do those, is up to you. You can choose the pose Tali or Garrus is in (remember, Tali has to be in her ME1 suit, not the ME2 and 3 one) and how you present Saren. Its all up to you. I don't care what armor Shepard is wearing either. It would also be nice if the letter 'E' for 'Enigma' could be hidden in there somewhere as well. :)** _

_**Just submit a link to me via email. My email is:** _

_**sterilequarian** _

_**I look forward to seeing what you come up with.** _

_**If you can link up with a DeviantArt artist or anyone else you know who would be willing to do so, that would be an added bonus.** _

_**Thanks!** _


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